diff --git a/configure.in b/configure.in
index 5efcb33..b8ee0f4 100644
--- a/configure.in
+++ b/configure.in
@@ -406,7 +406,6 @@
 	FREETYPEINCL=""
 	wine_cv_msg_freetype=yes
     else
-    	AC_DEFINE(HAVE_FREETYPE, 1, [Define if FreeType 2 is installed])
 	FREETYPELIBS=`$ft_devel --libs`
 	FREETYPEINCL=`$ft_devel --cflags`
 	ac_save_CPPFLAGS="$CPPFLAGS"
@@ -424,7 +423,16 @@
                     AC_DEFINE(HAVE_FREETYPE_FTTRIGON_H, 1,
           [Define if you have the <freetype/fttrigon.h> header file.]))
 	CPPFLAGS="$ac_save_CPPFLAGS"
-	wine_cv_msg_freetype=no
+	dnl Check that we have at least freetype/freetype.h
+	if test "$ac_cv_header_freetype_freetype_h" = "yes"
+	then
+	    AC_DEFINE(HAVE_FREETYPE, 1, [Define if FreeType 2 is installed])
+	    wine_cv_msg_freetype=no
+	else
+	    FREETYPELIBS=""
+	    FREETYPEINCL=""
+	    wine_cv_msg_freetype=yes
+	fi
     fi
 fi
 AC_SUBST(FREETYPELIBS)
@@ -1426,7 +1434,8 @@
 then
   echo
   echo "*** Note: Your system appears to have the FreeType 2 runtime libraries"
-  echo "*** installed, but 'freetype-config' is not in your PATH. Install the"
+  echo "*** installed, but either 'freetype-config' is not in your PATH or"
+  echo "*** you do not have the FreeType include files.  Install the"
   echo "*** freetype-devel package (or its equivalent on your distribution) to"
   echo "*** enable Wine to use TrueType fonts."
 fi