diff --git a/build/libgeoip.m4 b/build/libgeoip.m4
index 74fb076d..c382d241 100644
--- a/build/libgeoip.m4
+++ b/build/libgeoip.m4
@@ -9,11 +9,6 @@ dnl  GEOIP_VERSION
 
 AC_DEFUN([PROG_GEOIP], [
 
-
-# Needed if pkg-config will be used.
-AC_REQUIRE([PKG_PROG_PKG_CONFIG])
-
-
 # Possible names for the geoip library/package (pkg-config)
 GEOIP_POSSIBLE_LIB_NAMES="geoip2 geoip GeoIP"
 
diff --git a/build/libmaxmind.m4 b/build/libmaxmind.m4
index 7fe55cbd..656fc250 100644
--- a/build/libmaxmind.m4
+++ b/build/libmaxmind.m4
@@ -9,11 +9,6 @@ dnl  MAXMIND_VERSION
 
 AC_DEFUN([PROG_MAXMIND], [
 
-
-# Needed if pkg-config will be used.
-AC_REQUIRE([PKG_PROG_PKG_CONFIG])
-
-
 # Possible names for the maxmind library/package (pkg-config)
 MAXMIND_POSSIBLE_LIB_NAMES="maxminddb maxmind"
 
diff --git a/build/lmdb.m4 b/build/lmdb.m4
index f413226c..e7b3e12a 100644
--- a/build/lmdb.m4
+++ b/build/lmdb.m4
@@ -3,10 +3,6 @@ dnl CHECK_LMDB(ACTION-IF-FOUND [, ACTION-IF-NOT-FOUND])
 
 AC_DEFUN([PROG_LMDB], [
 
-# Needed if pkg-config will be used.LMDB
-AC_REQUIRE([PKG_PROG_PKG_CONFIG])
-
-
 # Possible names for the lmdb library/package (pkg-config)
 LMDB_POSSIBLE_LIB_NAMES="lmdb"
 
diff --git a/build/yajl.m4 b/build/yajl.m4
index 54e6e3eb..2ad618d4 100644
--- a/build/yajl.m4
+++ b/build/yajl.m4
@@ -3,10 +3,6 @@ dnl CHECK_YAJL(ACTION-IF-FOUND [, ACTION-IF-NOT-FOUND])
 
 AC_DEFUN([PROG_YAJL], [
 
-# Needed if pkg-config will be used.
-AC_REQUIRE([PKG_PROG_PKG_CONFIG])
-
-
 # Possible names for the yajl library/package (pkg-config)
 YAJL_POSSIBLE_LIB_NAMES="yajl2 yajl"
 
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 7b449113..20163e1e 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ AM_INIT_AUTOMAKE([-Wall -Werror foreign subdir-objects])
 AC_PROG_CXX
 AM_PROG_AR
 AC_PROG_MAKE_SET
+PKG_PROG_PKG_CONFIG
 
 
 # Check if the compiler is c++11 compatible.