--- a/configure.in
+++ b/configure.in
@@ -338,7 +338,10 @@
 dnl **
 
 if test "x$want_textui" = "xyes"; then
-	AC_CHECK_CURSES
+	PKG_CHECK_MODULES(CURSES,ncurses,[
+	has_ncurses=true],[
+	has_ncurses=false,
+	AC_CHECK_CURSES])
 
 	TEXTUI_LIBS="$CURSES_LIBS"
 	if test "x$has_curses" = "xtrue"; then