diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 17817537be123e169c8c3c3b27018ce8b30013db..addde578ad0ef2d9960a2a6711e12fd244b97d0a 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -946,9 +946,6 @@ AC_CHECK_DECLS([program_invocation_short_name], , ,
 [#define _GNU_SOURCE 1
 #include <errno.h>])
 
-dnl ** check for mingwex library
-AC_CHECK_LIB([mingwex],[closedir])
-
 dnl ** check for math library
 dnl    Keep that check as early as possible.
 dnl    as we need to know whether we need libm