diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index f132e4100..111178eba 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -512,7 +512,7 @@ LIBS="$LIBS_SHARED"
 if test x$local_gettext != xno; then
 	AC_SEARCH_LIBS( gettext, intl,,)
 fi
-AC_SEARCH_LIBS( iconv_open, iconv, , [AC_MSG_ERROR([Could not find an iconv implementation, needed to build fish])] )
+AC_SEARCH_LIBS( iconv_open, iconv, , [AC_SEARCH_LIBS( libiconv_open, iconv, , [AC_MSG_ERROR([Could not find an iconv implementation, needed to build fish])] )] )
 LIBS_FISH_PAGER=$LIBS
 LIBS=$LIBS_COMMON
 
@@ -525,7 +525,7 @@ LIBS="$LIBS_SHARED"
 if test x$local_gettext != xno; then
 	AC_SEARCH_LIBS( gettext, intl,,)
 fi
-AC_SEARCH_LIBS( iconv_open, iconv, , [AC_MSG_ERROR([Could not find an iconv implementation, needed to build fish])] )
+AC_SEARCH_LIBS( iconv_open, iconv, , [AC_SEARCH_LIBS( libiconv_open, iconv, , [AC_MSG_ERROR([Could not find an iconv implementation, needed to build fish])] )] )
 LIBS_FISHD=$LIBS
 LIBS=$LIBS_COMMON