diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 6c6b33ac77..3ed2a9e52e 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -278,24 +278,11 @@ AC_SUBST(XML_CFLAGS)
 dnl GTK is optional and only used in examples
 HAVE_GTK=no
 HAVE_GTK_X11=no
-GTK2_REQ=2.14.0
-GTK3_REQ=2.91.3
+GTK_REQ=3.0.0
 if test "x$BUILD_EXAMPLES" = "xyes"; then
-  AC_MSG_CHECKING([which gtk+ version to compile examples against (optional)])
-  AC_ARG_WITH([gtk],
-    AC_HELP_STRING([--with-gtk=3.0|2.0],
-                   [which gtk+ version to compile against (default: 2.0)]),
-    [case "$with_gtk" in
-        2.0) GTK_REQ=$GTK2_REQ ;;
-        3.0) GTK_REQ=$GTK3_REQ ;;
-        *) AC_MSG_ERROR([invalid gtk+ version specified]);;
-    esac],
-    [with_gtk=2.0
-     GTK_REQ=$GTK2_REQ])
-  AC_MSG_RESULT([$with_gtk (>= $GTK_REQ)])
-  PKG_CHECK_MODULES(GTK, gtk+-$with_gtk >= $GTK_REQ, HAVE_GTK=yes, HAVE_GTK=no)
+  PKG_CHECK_MODULES(GTK, gtk+-3.0 >= $GTK_REQ, HAVE_GTK=yes, HAVE_GTK=no)
   dnl some examples need gtk+-x11
-  PKG_CHECK_MODULES(GTK_X11, gtk+-x11-$with_gtk >= $GTK_REQ, HAVE_GTK_X11=yes, HAVE_GTK_X11=no)
+  PKG_CHECK_MODULES(GTK_X11, gtk+-x11-3.0 >= $GTK_REQ, HAVE_GTK_X11=yes, HAVE_GTK_X11=no)
   AC_SUBST(GTK_LIBS)
   AC_SUBST(GTK_CFLAGS)
 fi