diff --git a/ac/zlib.m4 b/ac/zlib.m4
index ea81d477b..18fc87615 100644
--- a/ac/zlib.m4
+++ b/ac/zlib.m4
@@ -2,7 +2,20 @@ dnl
 dnl Check for zlib
 dnl
 
-PKG_CHECK_MODULES([ZLIB],[zlib],[zlib_found=yes])
+PKG_CHECK_EXISTS([zlib],[zlib_found=yes],[zlib_found=no])
+if test x"$zlib_found" = xyes; then
+  PKG_CHECK_MODULES([ZLIB],[zlib],[zlib_found=yes])
+else
+  AC_MSG_CHECKING(for ZLIB)
+  save_LIBS="$LIBS"
+  LIBS="$LIBS -lz"
+  AC_TRY_LINK(
+    [#include <zlib.h>],
+    [inflate(0, 0);],
+    [zlib_found=yes; ZLIB_LIBS=-lz])
+  LIBS="$save_LIBS"
+  AC_MSG_RESULT($zlib_found)
+fi
 
 if test x"$zlib_found" != xyes; then
   AC_MSG_ERROR([Could not find the zlib library])