--- a/tools/tracetop/Makefile.am
+++ b/tools/tracetop/Makefile.am
@@ -6,6 +6,6 @@
 include ../Makefile.tools
 
 tracetop_SOURCES = tracetop.cc
-tracetop_LDADD = -lncurses 
+tracetop_LDADD = @ncurses_LIBS@ 
 tracetop_CPPFLAGS = -fno-strict-aliasing $(AM_CFLAGS)
 endif
--- a/configure.in
+++ b/configure.in
@@ -492,6 +492,8 @@
 	fi
 fi
 
+PKG_CHECK_MODULES(ncurses,ncurses)
+
 AC_ARG_WITH([ncurses],
 	AC_HELP_STRING([--with-ncurses], [build tracetop (requires ncurses)]))