diff --git a/configure b/configure
index 1ee09bd112..a02df30dde 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -2151,23 +2151,6 @@ EOF
   fi
 fi
 
-#########################################
-# zlib check
-
-if test "$zlib" != "no" ; then
-    cat > $TMPC << EOF
-#include <zlib.h>
-int main(void) { zlibVersion(); return 0; }
-EOF
-    if compile_prog "" "-lz" ; then
-        :
-    else
-        error_exit "zlib check failed" \
-            "Make sure to have the zlib libs and headers installed."
-    fi
-fi
-LIBS="$LIBS -lz"
-
 ##########################################
 # lzo check
 
@@ -3479,6 +3462,29 @@ if ! compile_prog "$glib_cflags -Werror" "$glib_libs" ; then
     fi
 fi
 
+#########################################
+# zlib check
+
+if test "$zlib" != "no" ; then
+    if $pkg_config --exists zlib; then
+        zlib_cflags=$($pkg_config --cflags zlib)
+        zlib_libs=$($pkg_config --libs zlib)
+        QEMU_CFLAGS="$zlib_cflags $QEMU_CFLAGS"
+        LIBS="$zlib_libs $LIBS"
+    else
+        cat > $TMPC << EOF
+#include <zlib.h>
+int main(void) { zlibVersion(); return 0; }
+EOF
+        if compile_prog "" "-lz" ; then
+            LIBS="$LIBS -lz"
+        else
+            error_exit "zlib check failed" \
+                "Make sure to have the zlib libs and headers installed."
+        fi
+    fi
+fi
+
 ##########################################
 # SHA command probe for modules
 if test "$modules" = yes; then