diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index b95d4155ea..e611dd90ba 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -1131,13 +1131,14 @@ PKG_CHECK_MODULES([YAML], [yaml-0.1 >= 0.1.4],[
 AC_ARG_ENABLE(core-libedit-support,     
   [AS_HELP_STRING([--disable-core-libedit-support], [Compile without libedit Support])])
 
-case x$enable_core_libedit_support in
-  xno) ;;
-  xyes|*)
-    PKG_CHECK_MODULES([LIBEDIT], [libedit >= 2.11],,
-      [AC_MSG_ERROR([You need to either install libedit-dev (>= 2.11) or configure with --disable-core-libedit-support])])
-    ;;
-esac
+AS_IF([test "x$enable_core_libedit_support" != "xno"],[
+  PKG_CHECK_MODULES([LIBEDIT], [libedit >= 2.11],,[
+    AC_MSG_RESULT([no])
+    AC_CHECK_LIB([edit], [el_line], [LIBEDIT_LIBS=-ledit])
+    AC_CHECK_HEADER([histedit.h], [], [unset LIBEDIT_LIBS])
+    AS_IF([test "x$LIBEDIT_LIBS" = "x"], [
+      AC_MSG_ERROR([You need to either install libedit-dev (>= 2.11) or configure with --disable-core-libedit-support])
+      ])])])
 
 AS_IF([test "x$enable_core_libedit_support" != "xno"], [
   # If making changes here, don't forget to run autoheader and