diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 91d099ecaf..c1b64d9a5a 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -1537,30 +1537,36 @@ AG_GST_CHECK_FEATURE(VDPAU, [VDPAU], vdpau, [
   VDPAU_LIBS=-lvdpau
   HAVE_VDPAU=no
 
-  saved_CPPFLAGS="$CPPFLAGS"
-  AC_CHECK_HEADER([vdpau/vdpau.h], [HAVE_VDPAU_H=yes])
-  if test -z "$HAVE_VDPAU_H"; then
-    dnl Didn't find VDPAU header straight away.
-    dnl Try /usr/include/nvidia. Need to clear caching vars first
-    AC_MSG_NOTICE([VDPAU header not in standard path. Checking /usr/include/nvidia])
-    unset ac_cv_header_vdpau_vdpau_h
-    unset ac_cv_header_vdpau_vdpau_x11_h
-    VDPAU_CFLAGS="-I/usr/include/nvidia"
-    VDPAU_LIBS="-L/usr/lib/nvidia -lvdpau"
-    CPPFLAGS="$VDPAU_CFLAGS $saved_CPPFLAGS"
-    AC_CHECK_HEADER([vdpau/vdpau.h], [HAVE_VDPAU_H=yes])
-  fi
-  AC_CHECK_HEADER([vdpau/vdpau_x11.h], [HAVE_VDPAU_X11_H=yes])
-  CPPFLAGS="$saved_CPPFLAGS"
+  PKG_CHECK_MODULES(VDPAU, vdpau, [HAVE_VDPAU="yes"])
 
-  if test "x$HAVE_VDPAU_H" = "xyes" -a "x$HAVE_VDPAU_X11_H" = "xyes"; then
-    dnl Found the headers - look for the lib
-    AC_MSG_NOTICE([VDPAU headers found. Checking libraries])
-    saved_LIBS="$LIBS"
-    LIBS="$VDPAU_LIBS $saved_LIBS"
-    AC_CHECK_LIB(vdpau,vdp_device_create_x11,[HAVE_VDPAU="yes"])
-    LIBS="$saved_LIBS"
+  if test "$HAVE_VDPAU" = "no"; then
+    saved_CPPFLAGS="$CPPFLAGS"
+    AC_CHECK_HEADER([vdpau/vdpau.h], [HAVE_VDPAU_H=yes])
+    
+    if test -z "$HAVE_VDPAU_H"; then
+      dnl Didn't find VDPAU header straight away.
+      dnl Try /usr/include/nvidia. Need to clear caching vars first
+      AC_MSG_NOTICE([VDPAU header not in standard path. Checking /usr/include/nvidia])
+      unset ac_cv_header_vdpau_vdpau_h
+      unset ac_cv_header_vdpau_vdpau_x11_h
+      VDPAU_CFLAGS="-I/usr/include/nvidia"
+      VDPAU_LIBS="-L/usr/lib/nvidia -lvdpau"
+      CPPFLAGS="$VDPAU_CFLAGS $saved_CPPFLAGS"
+      AC_CHECK_HEADER([vdpau/vdpau.h], [HAVE_VDPAU_H=yes])
+    fi
+    
+    AC_CHECK_HEADER([vdpau/vdpau_x11.h], [HAVE_VDPAU_X11_H=yes])
+
+    if test "x$HAVE_VDPAU_H" = "xyes" -a "x$HAVE_VDPAU_X11_H" = "xyes"; then
+      dnl Found the headers - look for the lib
+      AC_MSG_NOTICE([VDPAU headers found. Checking libraries])
+      saved_LIBS="$LIBS"
+      LIBS="$VDPAU_LIBS $saved_LIBS"
+      AC_CHECK_LIB(vdpau,vdp_device_create_x11,[HAVE_VDPAU="yes"])
+      LIBS="$saved_LIBS"
+    fi
   fi
+
   if test "$HAVE_VDPAU" = "yes"; then
     AC_MSG_NOTICE([Found up to date VDPAU installation])
     AC_SUBST(VDPAU_CFLAGS)