diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index cadc653a0..aa645af81 100644
--- a/configure.ac	
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ XORG_FONTSUBDIR([ENCODINGSDIR], [encodingsdir], [encodings])
 # zlib
 AC_CHECK_HEADER([zlib.h], [],
                 AC_MSG_FAILURE([zlib.h is required to compile libfontenc]))
-AC_CHECK_LIB(z, gzclose, [],
+AC_SEARCH_LIBS(gzclose, [z zlib zlibd], [],
              AC_MSG_FAILURE([zlib is required to compile libfontenc]))
 
 # Obtain compiler/linker options for depedencies