diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index 7aed422b..c44aa3e0 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -120,9 +120,11 @@ libppd_la_SOURCES = \
 	$(pkgppddefs_DATA)
 libppd_la_LIBADD = \
 	$(LIBCUPSFILTERS_LIBS) \
+	$(ZLIB_LIBS) \
 	$(CUPS_LIBS)
 libppd_la_CFLAGS = \
 	$(LIBCUPSFILTERS_CFLAGS) \
+	$(ZLIB_CFLAGS) \
 	$(CUPS_CFLAGS)
 libppd_la_CXXFLAGS = \
 	$(libppd_la_CFLAGS)
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 66927d80..7d8a459b 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -164,6 +164,13 @@ AC_SUBST(CUPS_STATEDIR)
 # ========================
 PKG_CHECK_MODULES([LIBCUPSFILTERS], [libcupsfilters])
 
+# ==============
+# Check for zlib
+# ==============
+PKG_CHECK_MODULES([ZLIB], [zlib], ,[
+        AC_CHECK_HEADER([zlib.h])
+        AC_CHECK_LIB([z], [deflateInit])])
+
 # ============================================================
 # Check for whether we want to install the testppdfile utility
 # ============================================================
@@ -220,7 +227,6 @@ AC_CHECK_HEADERS([stdlib.h])
 AC_CHECK_HEADERS([sys/stat.h])
 AC_CHECK_HEADERS([sys/types.h])
 AC_CHECK_HEADERS([unistd.h])
-AC_CHECK_HEADERS([zlib.h])
 AC_CHECK_HEADERS([endian.h])
 AC_CHECK_HEADERS([dirent.h])
 AC_CHECK_HEADERS([sys/ioctl.h])