diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 97a92ba..1e450c7 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -1173,13 +1173,16 @@
         # Curses support, requiring the System V version of curses, often
         # provided by the ncurses library.
         panel_library = 'panel'
+        curses_includes = []
         if curses_library.startswith('ncurses'):
             if curses_library == 'ncursesw':
                 # Bug 1464056: If _curses.so links with ncursesw,
                 # _curses_panel.so must link with panelw.
                 panel_library = 'panelw'
+                curses_includes = ['/usr/include/ncursesw']
             curses_libs = [curses_library]
             exts.append( Extension('_curses', ['_cursesmodule.c'],
+                                   include_dirs=curses_includes,
                                    define_macros=curses_defines,
                                    libraries = curses_libs) )
         elif curses_library == 'curses' and platform != 'darwin':
@@ -1202,6 +1205,7 @@
         if (module_enabled(exts, '_curses') and
             self.compiler.find_library_file(lib_dirs, panel_library)):
             exts.append( Extension('_curses_panel', ['_curses_panel.c'],
+                                   include_dirs=curses_includes,
                                    libraries = [panel_library] + curses_libs) )
         else:
             missing.append('_curses_panel')