diff --git a/configure.in b/configure.in
index 4fc9e7a..87a0e34 100644
--- a/configure.in
+++ b/configure.in
@@ -201,7 +201,7 @@
   # On OpenBSD, select(2) is not available if _XOPEN_SOURCE is defined,
   # even though select is a POSIX function. Reported by J. Ribbens.
   # Reconfirmed for OpenBSD 3.3 by Zachary Hamm, for 3.4 by Jason Ish.
-  OpenBSD/2.* | OpenBSD/3.@<:@0123456789@:>@ | OpenBSD/4.@<:@0@:>@) 
+  OpenBSD/2.* | OpenBSD/3.@<:@0123456789@:>@ | OpenBSD/4.@<:@0123@:>@) 
     define_xopen_source=no
     # OpenBSD undoes our definition of __BSD_VISIBLE if _XOPEN_SOURCE is
     # also defined. This can be overridden by defining _BSD_SOURCE
@@ -3095,16 +3095,40 @@
 # check where readline lives
 # save the value of LIBS so we don't actually link Python with readline
 LIBS_no_readline=$LIBS
-AC_CHECK_LIB(readline, readline)
-if test "$ac_cv_have_readline_readline" = no
-then
-  AC_CHECK_LIB(termcap, readline)
+
+# On some systems we need to link readline to a termcap compatible
+# library.  NOTE: Keep the precedence of listed libraries synchronised
+# with setup.py.
+py_cv_lib_readline=no
+AC_MSG_CHECKING([how to link readline libs])
+for py_libtermcap in "" ncursesw ncurses curses termcap; do
+  if test -z "$py_libtermcap"; then
+    READLINE_LIBS="-lreadline"
+  else
+    READLINE_LIBS="-lreadline -l$py_libtermcap"
+  fi
+  LIBS="$READLINE_LIBS $LIBS_no_readline"
+  AC_LINK_IFELSE(
+    [AC_LANG_CALL([],[readline])],
+    [py_cv_lib_readline=yes])
+  if test $py_cv_lib_readline = yes; then
+    break
+  fi
+done
+# Uncomment this line if you want to use READINE_LIBS in Makefile or scripts
+#AC_SUBST([READLINE_LIBS])
+if test $py_cv_lib_readline = !yes; then
+  AC_MSG_RESULT([none])
+else
+  AC_MSG_RESULT([$READLINE_LIBS])
+  AC_DEFINE(HAVE_LIBREADLINE, 1,
+    [Define if you have the readline library (-lreadline).])
 fi
 
 # check for readline 2.1
 AC_CHECK_LIB(readline, rl_callback_handler_install,
 	AC_DEFINE(HAVE_RL_CALLBACK, 1,
-        [Define if you have readline 2.1]), , )
+        [Define if you have readline 2.1]), ,$READLINE_LIBS)
 
 # check for readline 2.2
 AC_TRY_CPP([#include <readline/readline.h>],
@@ -3120,12 +3144,12 @@
 # check for readline 4.0
 AC_CHECK_LIB(readline, rl_pre_input_hook,
 	AC_DEFINE(HAVE_RL_PRE_INPUT_HOOK, 1,
-        [Define if you have readline 4.0]), , )
+        [Define if you have readline 4.0]), ,$READLINE_LIBS)
 
 # check for readline 4.2
 AC_CHECK_LIB(readline, rl_completion_matches,
 	AC_DEFINE(HAVE_RL_COMPLETION_MATCHES, 1,
-        [Define if you have readline 4.2]), , )
+        [Define if you have readline 4.2]), ,$READLINE_LIBS)
 
 # also in readline 4.2
 AC_TRY_CPP([#include <readline/readline.h>],
diff --git a/pyconfig.h.in b/pyconfig.h.in
index fc8d146..1bf5432 100644
--- a/pyconfig.h.in
+++ b/pyconfig.h.in
@@ -309,9 +309,6 @@
 /* Define to 1 if you have the `resolv' library (-lresolv). */
 #undef HAVE_LIBRESOLV
 
-/* Define to 1 if you have the `termcap' library (-ltermcap). */
-#undef HAVE_LIBTERMCAP
-
 /* Define to 1 if you have the <libutil.h> header file. */
 #undef HAVE_LIBUTIL_H