diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 6bfa74c40..314840329 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -1584,6 +1584,7 @@ if test "$KDRIVE" = yes; then
         AC_DEFINE(TSLIB, 1, [Have tslib support])
     fi
 
+    AC_CHECK_HEADERS([SDL/SDL.h])
     if test x"$ac_cv_header_SDL_SDL_h" = xyes && test "x$XSDL" = xauto; then
        XSDL=yes
     fi
@@ -1642,12 +1643,6 @@ if test "$KDRIVE" = yes; then
     AC_CHECK_FUNC([nanosleep], [],
         AC_CHECK_LIB([rt], [nanosleep], XEPHYR_LIBS="$XEPHYR_LIBS -lrt"))
 
-    # check for SDL SDK
-    AC_CHECK_HEADERS([SDL/SDL.h])
-    if test "x$XSDL" = xauto; then
-        XSDL="$ac_cv_header_SDL_SDL_h"
-    fi
-
     AC_SUBST([XEPHYR_LIBS])
     AC_SUBST([XEPHYR_INCS])
     AC_SUBST([XSDL_LIBS])