diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index e1a0fc67..07a2b075 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -59,6 +59,26 @@ AC_CHECK_FILES(
        [],
        [AC_ERROR([colm is required to build ragel])]
 )
+
+dnl If the .la files are present use those, otherwise locate the libs with AC_CHECK_LIB.
+AC_CHECK_FILES(
+       [$LIBCOLM_LA $LIBFSM_LA],
+       [],
+       [
+               AC_CHECK_LIB(
+                       [colm],
+                       [colm_run_program],
+                       [LIBCOLM_LA=-lcolm],
+                       [AC_ERROR([libcolm is required to build ragel])]
+               )
+               AC_CHECK_LIB(
+                       [fsm],
+                       [libfsm_present],
+                       [LIBFSM_LA=-lfsm],
+                       [AC_ERROR([libfsm is required to build ragel])]
+               )
+       ]
+)
 AC_SUBST(COLM)
 AC_SUBST(COLM_WRAP)
 AC_SUBST(COLM_SHARE)