--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 # *not* the same as the "public" version number.  CURRENT:REVISION:AGE
 SHARED_VERSION_INFO="2:4:0"
 AC_SUBST(SHARED_VERSION_INFO)
-AM_ENABLE_SHARED(no) dnl shared libs cause too many headaches to be default
+AM_ENABLE_SHARED(yes) dnl shared libs cause too many headaches to be default
 
 ##############################################################################
 
@@ -123,9 +123,16 @@
 ###########################################################################
 
 # Checks for BLAS/LAPACK libraries:
-
-ACX_BLAS([], [AC_MSG_ERROR([BLAS library not found])])
-ACX_LAPACK([], [AC_MSG_ERROR([LAPACK library not found])])
+sinclude(acx_blas.m4)
+ACX_BLAS
+if test x"$BLAS_LIBS" = x ; then
+   AC_MSG_ERROR([BLAS library not found])
+fi
+sinclude(acx_lapack.m4)
+ACX_LAPACK
+if test x"$LAPACK_LIBS" = x ; then
+   AC_MSG_ERROR([LAPACK library not found])
+fi
 
 LIBS="$LAPACK_LIBS $BLAS_LIBS $LIBS $FLIBS"