diff --git a/configure.in b/configure.in
index 25ef0b39..d80d83e8 100644
--- a/configure.in
+++ b/configure.in
@@ -527,7 +527,7 @@ if test "$want_perl" != "no"; then
 		dnl * check that perl's ldflags actually work
 		AC_CACHE_VAL(irssi_cv_lib_perl_works, [
 			echo "main(){perl_alloc(); return 0;}" > conftest.c
-			$CC $CFLAGS conftest.c -o conftest $LDFLAGS $PERL_LDFLAGS 2> /dev/null > /dev/null
+			$CC $CFLAGS conftest.c -o conftest $LDFLAGS $PERL_LDFLAGS 2> perl.error.tmp > /dev/null
 			if test -s conftest; then
 				irssi_cv_lib_perl_works=yes
 			else
@@ -536,10 +536,11 @@ if test "$want_perl" != "no"; then
 		])
 
 		if test "x$irssi_cv_lib_perl_works" = "xno"; then
-			perl_check_error="Error linking with perl libraries: $PERL_LDFLAGS"
+			perl_check_error="Error linking with perl libraries: $PERL_LDFLAGS: `cat perl.error.tmp`"
 			AC_MSG_RESULT([error linking with perl libraries, building without Perl])
 			want_perl=no
 		fi
+		rm -f perl.error.tmp
 	fi
 
 	if test "x$want_perl" != "xno"; then