diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 232ec0f..4c8375d 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ Install these packages (or *ports*):
 
 Then build:
 
-    $ CPPFLAGS="-I/usr/local/include" LDFLAGS="-L/usr/local/lib" LIBS="-lcurses" ./configure
+    $ CPPFLAGS="-I/usr/local/include" LDFLAGS="-L/usr/local/lib" ./configure
     $ make
 
 #### Other UNIX
diff --git a/configure b/configure
index 0b1cb9b..e774e18 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -3467,6 +3467,62 @@ $as_echo "#define READLINE_GNU 1" >>confdefs.h
 
 else
 
+    { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: checking for library containing tgetnum" >&5
+$as_echo_n "checking for library containing tgetnum... " >&6; }
+if ${ac_cv_search_tgetnum+:} false; then :
+  $as_echo_n "(cached) " >&6
+else
+  ac_func_search_save_LIBS=$LIBS
+cat confdefs.h - <<_ACEOF >conftest.$ac_ext
+/* end confdefs.h.  */
+
+/* Override any GCC internal prototype to avoid an error.
+   Use char because int might match the return type of a GCC
+   builtin and then its argument prototype would still apply.  */
+#ifdef __cplusplus
+extern "C"
+#endif
+char tgetnum ();
+int
+main ()
+{
+return tgetnum ();
+  ;
+  return 0;
+}
+_ACEOF
+for ac_lib in '' ncursesw ncurses curses; do
+  if test -z "$ac_lib"; then
+    ac_res="none required"
+  else
+    ac_res=-l$ac_lib
+    LIBS="-l$ac_lib  $ac_func_search_save_LIBS"
+  fi
+  if ac_fn_c_try_link "$LINENO"; then :
+  ac_cv_search_tgetnum=$ac_res
+fi
+rm -f core conftest.err conftest.$ac_objext \
+    conftest$ac_exeext
+  if ${ac_cv_search_tgetnum+:} false; then :
+  break
+fi
+done
+if ${ac_cv_search_tgetnum+:} false; then :
+
+else
+  ac_cv_search_tgetnum=no
+fi
+rm conftest.$ac_ext
+LIBS=$ac_func_search_save_LIBS
+fi
+{ $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: result: $ac_cv_search_tgetnum" >&5
+$as_echo "$ac_cv_search_tgetnum" >&6; }
+ac_res=$ac_cv_search_tgetnum
+if test "$ac_res" != no; then :
+  test "$ac_res" = "none required" || LIBS="$ac_res $LIBS"
+
+fi
+
     { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: checking for rl_set_prompt in -ledit" >&5
 $as_echo_n "checking for rl_set_prompt in -ledit... " >&6; }
 if ${ac_cv_lib_edit_rl_set_prompt+:} false; then :
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index f17039d..f3cf689 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ AC_CHECK_LIB([readline], [rl_save_prompt],
     [ EXTRA_LIBS="${EXTRA_LIBS} -lreadline" ; ]
   ],
   [
+    AC_SEARCH_LIBS([tgetnum], [ncursesw ncurses curses])
     AC_CHECK_LIB([edit], [rl_set_prompt])
     AC_DEFINE([READLINE_EDIT], [1], [Use libedit])
     [ EXTRA_LIBS="${EXTRA_LIBS} -ledit" ; ]