diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 9aece663..efc20277 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -72,8 +72,10 @@ AC_CHECK_LIB([ssl], [main], [],
     [AC_MSG_ERROR([openssl is required for profanity])])
 AC_CHECK_LIB([strophe], [main], [],
     [AC_MSG_ERROR([libstrophe is required for profanity])])
-AC_CHECK_LIB([ncurses], [main], [],
-    [AC_MSG_ERROR([ncurses is required for profanity])])
+AC_CHECK_LIB([ncursesw], [main], [],
+    [AC_CHECK_LIB([ncurses],[main], 
+	[AC_MSG_NOTICE([ncursesw not found but trying with ncurses instead])], 
+	[AC_MSG_ERROR([ncurses is required for profanity])])])
 AC_CHECK_LIB([glib-2.0], [main], [],
     [AC_MSG_ERROR([glib-2.0 is required for profanity])])
 AC_CHECK_LIB([curl], [main], [],