diff --git a/configure b/configure
index c8e2e7e..a1fefe0 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -3870,6 +3870,11 @@ fi
 
     LIBS=$ax_saved_LIBS
 
+if test "x$ax_cv_curses" != xyes; then :
+
+	as_fn_error $? "XSI/SVR4 curses is required to compile TTS" "$LINENO" 5
+
+fi
 oLIBS="$LIBS"
 LIBS="$LIBS $CURSES_LIB"
 for ac_func in use_default_colors wcslcpy wcslcat
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 1821d75..cb16ad1 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -24,6 +24,9 @@ AC_PROG_CC
 AC_PROG_INSTALL
 
 AX_WITH_CURSES
+AS_IF([test "x$ax_cv_curses" != xyes], [
+	AC_ERROR([XSI/SVR4 curses is required to compile TTS])
+])
 oLIBS="$LIBS"
 LIBS="$LIBS $CURSES_LIB"
 AC_CHECK_FUNCS([use_default_colors wcslcpy wcslcat])