--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 AC_SEARCH_LIBS(gethostbyname, [nsl])	dnl for Solaris
 AC_SEARCH_LIBS(pcap_open_live, [pcap])
 AC_SEARCH_LIBS(exp, [m])
+PKG_CHECK_MODULES(ncurses,ncurses,LIBS="$LIBS $ncurses_LIBS",AC_MSG_ERROR[ncurses is required])
 AC_SEARCH_LIBS(tgoto, [termlib termcap curses ncurses ocurses])
 AC_SEARCH_LIBS(initscr, [curses ncurses ocurses])
 AC_SEARCH_LIBS(nanosleep, [posix4])