diff --git a/acconfig.h b/acconfig.h
index 55b6d8a9..c4561e84 100644
--- a/acconfig.h
+++ b/acconfig.h
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 #undef HAVE_IPV6
 #undef HAVE_POPT_H
 #undef HAVE_SOCKS_H
+#undef HAVE_PL_PERL
 
 /* macros/curses checks */
 #undef HAS_CURSES
diff --git a/configure.in b/configure.in
index 354cfb4b..e5ac155d 100644
--- a/configure.in
+++ b/configure.in
@@ -234,6 +234,13 @@ if test "$want_perl" = "yes"; then
 	else
 		PERL_LDFLAGS="`$perlpath -MExtUtils::Embed -e ldopts` "
 
+		dnl * Perl 5.004 and older use perl_xxx variables while
+		dnl * later use PL_perl_xxx variables ..
+		have_pl_perl=`$perlpath -e 'print $] < 5.005 ? "no" : "yes";'`
+                if test "x$have_pl_perl" = "xyes"; then
+			AC_DEFINE(HAVE_PL_PERL)
+		fi
+
 		dnl * dynaloader.a -> libperl_dynaloader.la
 		dynaloader=`echo $PERL_LDFLAGS | $sedpath 's/.* \([[^ ]]*\.a\).*/\1/'`
 		PERL_LDFLAGS=`echo $PERL_LDFLAGS | $sedpath 's/ [[^ ]]*\.a/ libperl_dynaloader.la/'`
diff --git a/src/perl/irssi-perl.c b/src/perl/irssi-perl.c
index af2709ea..c6efac8a 100644
--- a/src/perl/irssi-perl.c
+++ b/src/perl/irssi-perl.c
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@
 #  define ERRSV GvSV(errgv)
 #endif
 
-#ifndef PL_perl_destruct_level
+#ifndef HAVE_PL_PERL
 #  define PL_perl_destruct_level perl_destruct_level
 #endif