diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index 3e8a93c1b..3500e2177 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -84,8 +84,8 @@ dist_triggers_SCRIPTS = \
 	$(NULL)
 
 # This canonicalizes the PKG_CHECK_MODULES or AM_PATH_GPGME results
-INTERNAL_GPGME_CFLAGS = $(DEP_GPGME_CFLAGS) $(GPGME_PTHREAD_CFLAGS)
-INTERNAL_GPGME_LIBS = $(DEP_GPGME_LIBS) $(GPGME_PTHREAD_LIBS)
+INTERNAL_GPGME_CFLAGS = $(DEP_GPGME_CFLAGS) $(DEP_GPGME_PTHREAD_CFLAGS) $(GPGME_PTHREAD_CFLAGS)
+INTERNAL_GPGME_LIBS = $(DEP_GPGME_LIBS) $(DEP_GPGME_PTHREAD_LIBS) $(GPGME_PTHREAD_LIBS)
 
 lib_LTLIBRARIES =
 noinst_LTLIBRARIES += libglnx.la
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 84247986c..7ad47fa08 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -260,10 +260,16 @@ AC_CHECK_FUNCS(archive_read_support_filter_all)
 LIBS=$save_LIBS
 
 LIBGPGME_DEPENDENCY="1.1.8"
-PKG_CHECK_MODULES(DEP_GPGME, gpgme-pthread >= $LIBGPGME_DEPENDENCY, have_gpgme=yes, [
-    m4_ifdef([AM_PATH_GPGME_PTHREAD], [
-       AM_PATH_GPGME_PTHREAD($LIBGPGME_DEPENDENCY, have_gpgme=yes, have_gpgme=no)
-    ],[ have_gpgme=no ])
+PKG_CHECK_MODULES([DEP_GPGME], [gpgme >= 1.8.0], [have_gpgme=yes], [
+    PKG_CHECK_MODULES([DEP_GPGME_PTHREAD], [gpgme-pthread >= $LIBGPGME_DEPENDENCY], [
+        have_gpgme=yes
+    ], [
+        m4_ifdef([AM_PATH_GPGME_PTHREAD], [
+            AM_PATH_GPGME_PTHREAD([$LIBGPGME_DEPENDENCY], [have_gpgme=yes], [have_gpgme=no])
+        ], [
+            have_gpgme=no
+        ])
+    ])
 ])
 AS_IF([ test x$have_gpgme = xno ], [
    AC_MSG_ERROR([Need GPGME_PTHREAD version $LIBGPGME_DEPENDENCY or later])