diff --git a/configure b/configure
index 5ec0422d..5fc2b290 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -2955,6 +2955,12 @@ $as_echo "no" >&6; }
 	fi
 
 fi
+	if test -z "$PKG_CONFIG"
+	then
+		{ { $as_echo "$as_me:$LINENO: error: pkg-config not found. Try --disable-c-ares." >&5
+$as_echo "$as_me: error: pkg-config not found. Try --disable-c-ares." >&2;}
+   { (exit 1); exit 1; }; }
+	fi
 
 pkg_failed=no
 { $as_echo "$as_me:$LINENO: checking for c_ares" >&5
diff --git a/configure.in b/configure.in
index a931ba42..c05ff76d 100644
--- a/configure.in
+++ b/configure.in
@@ -117,6 +117,11 @@ AC_CHECK_LIB( gnugetopt, getopt_long,)
 AC_CHECK_FUNC([lstat], [appendCXX -DHAVE_LSTAT])
 
 if test "x$ARES" = "xyes"; then
+	PKG_PROG_PKG_CONFIG()
+	if test -z "$PKG_CONFIG"
+	then
+		AC_MSG_ERROR([pkg-config not found. Try --disable-c-ares.])
+	fi
 	PKG_CHECK_MODULES([c_ares], [libcares],, AC_MSG_ERROR([c-ares not found. Try --disable-c-ares.]))
 	appendCXX $c_ares_CFLAGS -DHAVE_ARES
 	appendLib $c_ares_LIBS