diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 49054288f..fc1e20ef8 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -52,9 +52,11 @@ AC_SEARCH_LIBS([openpty], [util])
 
 AC_CHECK_HEADERS([sys/socket.h])
 AC_CHECK_HEADERS([elf.h])
-AC_EGREP_HEADER(Elf64_Ehdr, [elf.h], [
-  AC_DEFINE([HAVE_ELF64], [1], [Define to 1 if the system has the type `Elf64_Ehdr'.])
-])
+
+AC_CHECK_TYPE([Elf64_Ehdr],
+	AC_DEFINE([HAVE_ELF64], [1], [Define to 1 if the system has the type 'Elf64_Ehdr'.]),
+	[], [[#include <elf.h>]])
+
 AC_CHECK_HEADERS([fcntl.h])
 AC_CHECK_HEADERS([malloc.h])
 AC_CHECK_HEADERS([netdb.h])