--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ esac
 AC_PROG_CC
 AC_PROG_CPP
 AC_PROG_INSTALL
+PKG_PROG_PKG_CONFIG
 
 # Checks for header files.
 AC_HEADER_STDC
@@ -53,6 +54,6 @@ AC_HEADER_STDBOOL
 # Tests involving libraries
 AC_CHECK_LIB([m], [pow])
-AC_CHECK_LIB([ncurses], [waddstr])
+PKG_CHECK_MODULES([ncurses], [ncurses], [LIBS="$LIBS $ncurses_LIBS"], AC_MSG_ERROR([ncurses is required but was not found]))
 AC_CHECK_LIB([cap], [cap_get_flag])