diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index f577a62..bb2af38 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -58,6 +58,10 @@ AM_GNU_GETTEXT_VERSION([0.19.8])
 
 gl_INIT
 
+AS_IF([test "x$ac_cv_header_monetary_h" != xyes], [
+	AC_MSG_ERROR([requires <monetary.h> to exist in the C library])
+])
+
 AX_WITH_CURSES
 AS_IF([test "x$ax_cv_curses" != xyes || test "x$ax_cv_curses_color" != xyes], [
 	AC_MSG_ERROR([requires an X/Open-compatible Curses library with colour])
diff --git a/lib/.gitignore b/lib/.gitignore
index 4ce8259..3c59ab4 100644
--- a/lib/.gitignore
+++ b/lib/.gitignore
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ Makefile.am
 /mbtowc.c
 /memchr.c
 /memchr.valgrind
+/monetary.in.h
 /ref-add.sin
 /ref-del.sin
 /stdbool.in.h
@@ -96,6 +97,7 @@ Makefile.am
 /iconv_open-solaris.h
 /limits.h
 /locale.h
+/monetary.h
 /ref-add.sed
 /ref-del.sed
 /stddef.h
diff --git a/m4/.gitignore b/m4/.gitignore
index f5f6d30..e63b79a 100644
--- a/m4/.gitignore
+++ b/m4/.gitignore
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@
 /mbtowc.m4
 /memchr.m4
 /mmap-anon.m4
+/monetary_h.m4
 /multiarch.m4
 /nls.m4
 /nocrash.m4
diff --git a/m4/gnulib-cache.m4 b/m4/gnulib-cache.m4
index 3058a19..f8f0304 100644
--- a/m4/gnulib-cache.m4
+++ b/m4/gnulib-cache.m4
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@
 #  locale \
 #  mbrtowc \
 #  mbsrtowcs \
+#  monetary \
 #  stdbool \
 #  stdio \
 #  striconv \
@@ -74,6 +75,7 @@ gl_MODULES([
   locale
   mbrtowc
   mbsrtowcs
+  monetary
   stdbool
   stdio
   striconv