--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -91,11 +91,12 @@
 			AC_MSG_RESULT(disabled)
 			support_curses=0
 		else
+			AC_MSG_RESULT(enabled)
 			support_curses=1
 		fi
 	],
-	[
-		AC_MSG_RESULT(enabled)
+	[])
+if test $support_curses -eq 1; then
 		AC_CHECK_HEADER([curses.h],
 				[
 				  # test which libraray to use
@@ -146,7 +147,7 @@
 				  fi
 
 				  if test $support_curses -eq 1; then
-				  	AC_SUBST(LDFLAGS_DYNAMIC, "$LDFLAGS -l$curseslib $tinfolib")
+				  	AC_SUBST(LDFLAGS_DYNAMIC, "-l$curseslib $tinfolib")
 				        AC_DEFINE(HAVE_CURSES_H, 1, [curses library can be used])
 				  fi
 
@@ -154,8 +155,7 @@
 				[
 				  support_curses=0
 				])
-	])
-
+fi
 
 NO_STL_SSTREAM=0
 NO_STL_STRSTREAM=0
--- a/src/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/Makefile.am
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@
 	backtrace.h \
 	backtrace.cpp
 
-xstow_LDFLAGS= $(LDFLAGS) $(LDFLAGS_DYNAMIC)
+xstow_LDADD= $(LDFLAGS_DYNAMIC)
 
 if ENABLE_MERGE
 
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@
 			backtrace.h \
 			backtrace.cpp
 
-merge_info_LDFLAGS= $(LDFLAGS) $(LDFLAGS_DYNAMIC)
+merge_info_LDADD= $(LDFLAGS_DYNAMIC)
 
 endif