--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -76,7 +76,9 @@
 
 AC_SYS_LARGEFILE
 
-AC_CHECK_LIB(nsl, gethostbyname)
+AC_SEARCH_LIBS([gethostbyname], [nsl],
+  [], [AC_MSG_ERROR([gethostbyname not found])]
+)
 AC_CHECK_LIB(socket, connect)
 
 ACF_SEARCH_FUNCTION([res_query], [-lresolv, -lbind],