diff --git a/configure.in b/configure.in
index 56896669b4..fd8ecd7d72 100644
--- a/configure.in
+++ b/configure.in
@@ -178,10 +178,11 @@ AC_PATH_PROG(XML_CONFIG, xml-config, no)
 if test x$XML_CONFIG = xno; then
   AC_MSG_ERROR(Couldn't find xml-config)
 fi
-AC_CHECK_LIB(xml, xmlDocGetRootElement, ,
-  [ AC_MSG_ERROR(Need version 1.8.1 or better of libxml) ])
 XML_LIBS=`xml-config --libs`
 XML_CFLAGS=`xml-config --cflags`
+AC_CHECK_LIB(xml, xmlDocGetRootElement, ,
+  [ AC_MSG_ERROR(Need version 1.8.1 or better of libxml) ],
+  $XML_LIBS)
 AC_SUBST(XML_LIBS)
 AC_SUBST(XML_CFLAGS)
 CORE_LIBS="$CORE_LIBS $XML_LIBS"