diff --git a/builds/unix/configure.ac b/builds/unix/configure.ac
index e00d2cc..6d4259d 100644
--- a/builds/unix/configure.ac
+++ b/builds/unix/configure.ac
@@ -69,6 +69,7 @@ AC_SUBST(EXEEXT_BUILD)
 # auxiliary programs
 
 AC_CHECK_PROG([RMDIR], [rmdir], [rmdir])
+PKG_PROG_PKG_CONFIG
 
 
 # Since this file will be finally moved to another directory we make
@@ -286,18 +287,8 @@ AC_ARG_WITH([png],
   AS_HELP_STRING([--without-png],
                  [do not support png compressed OpenType embedded bitmaps]))
 if test x$with_png != xno; then
-  AC_MSG_CHECKING([for libpng])
-  if test -z "$LIBPNG_CFLAGS" -a -z "$LIBPNG_LDFLAGS"; then
-    if ! which libpng-config >/dev/null; then
-      AC_MSG_ERROR([`libpng-config' not found;
-either set the LIBPNG_CFLAGS and LIBPNG_LDFLAGS environment variables,
-or pass `--without-png' to the `configure' script.])
-    fi
-    LIBPNG_CFLAGS="`libpng-config --cflags`"
-    LIBPNG_LDFLAGS="`libpng-config --ldflags`"
-  fi
+  PKG_CHECK_MODULES(LIBPNG, libpng)
   HAVE_LIBPNG=yes
-  AC_MSG_RESULT([$LIBPNG_LDFLAGS])
 fi
 
 
@@ -739,7 +730,7 @@ if test x$SYSTEM_LIBBZ2 = xyes; then
 fi
 if test x$HAVE_LIBPNG = xyes; then
   CFLAGS="$CFLAGS $LIBPNG_CFLAGS -DFT_CONFIG_OPTION_USE_PNG"
-  LDFLAGS="$LDFLAGS $LIBPNG_LDFLAGS"
+  LDFLAGS="$LDFLAGS $LIBPNG_LIBS"
 fi
 
 AC_SUBST([CFLAGS])