diff --git a/configure b/configure
index b0c7e54..16280e2 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -2030,7 +2030,7 @@ fi
  if test "$mingw32" = "yes" ; then
      curses_list="-lpdcurses"
  else
-    curses_list="-lncurses -lcurses"
+    curses_list="-lncurses:-lcurses:$($pkg_config --libs ncurses)"
  fi

  if test "$curses" != "no" ; then
@@ -2043,7 +2043,9 @@ int main(void) {
    return s != 0;
  }
  EOF
+  IFS=:
    for curses_lib in $curses_list; do
+    unset IFS
      if compile_prog "" "$curses_lib" ; then
        curses_found=yes
        libs_softmmu="$curses_lib $libs_softmmu"