diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index be6bdc1..e114707 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -47,7 +47,10 @@ AC_SUBST(PYTHON_QUIET)
 AC_ARG_ENABLE([ruby-binding],[  --disable-ruby-binding	Disable building of Ruby binding],
 	[ENABLE_RUBY=$enableval],[ENABLE_RUBY="yes"])
 AC_PATH_PROG(RUBY, ruby, no)
-if test "$RUBY" == "no" ; then
+if test "$RUBY" != "no" ; then
+	RUBY_INC_DIR=`$RUBY -e 'require \'rbconfig\'; c = ::Config:CONFIG; print c[[\'archdir\']];'`
+	AC_CHECK_HEADER([$RUBY_INC_DIR/ruby.h],[],[ENABLE_RUBY="no";AC_MSG_WARN([ruby.h not found, disabling Ruby binding])])
+else
 	AC_MSG_WARN([ruby not found, disabling ruby binding])
 	ENABLE_RUBY="no"
 fi