diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 289a6a5776a86734b16b02afcf7f6c01fd7cdaaa..e87a18c6da094c923207ca202e2d95a9df6ee383 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -1010,16 +1010,8 @@ FP_VISIBILITY_HIDDEN
 FP_MUSTTAIL
 
 dnl ** check for librt
-AC_CHECK_LIB([rt], [clock_gettime])
-AC_CHECK_LIB([rt], [clock_gettime], HaveLibrt=YES, HaveLibrt=NO)
-if test $HaveLibrt = YES
-then
-  AC_SUBST([UseLibrt],[YES])
-else
-  AC_SUBST([UseLibrt],[NO])
-fi
-AC_CHECK_FUNCS(clock_gettime timer_settime)
-FP_CHECK_TIMER_CREATE
+AC_CHECK_LIB([rt], [clock_gettime], UseLibrt=YES, UseLibrt=NO)
+AC_SUBST([UseLibrt])
 
 FP_CHECK_PTHREAD_LIB
 AC_SUBST([UseLibpthread])
diff --git a/rts/configure.ac b/rts/configure.ac
index cbf57b92415054ebb608878c1034f4aa3af14ed8..403e3e33c4762f6958f92b4405cb27d059ce51ca 100644
--- a/rts/configure.ac
+++ b/rts/configure.ac
@@ -33,6 +33,10 @@ GHC_CONVERT_PLATFORM_PARTS([host], [Host])
 FPTOOLS_SET_PLATFORM_VARS([host], [Host])
 FPTOOLS_SET_HASKELL_PLATFORM_VARS([Host])
 
+dnl ** check for librt
+AC_CHECK_FUNCS(clock_gettime timer_settime)
+FP_CHECK_TIMER_CREATE
+
 dnl ** check for Apple's "interesting" long double compatibility scheme
 AC_MSG_CHECKING(for printf\$LDBLStub)
 AC_LINK_IFELSE([AC_LANG_CALL([], [printf\$LDBLStub])],