diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 47c6d1202..6aadaa266 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -1009,7 +1009,14 @@ AM_CONDITIONAL(USE_DNS_SRV, test x"$use_dns_srv" = xyes)
 #
 if test "$try_ks_ldap" = yes || test "$build_dirmngr" = "yes" ; then
    GNUPG_CHECK_LDAP($NETLIBS)
+   AC_CHECK_LIB(lber, ber_free,
+                [ LBER_LIBS="$LBER_LIBS -llber"
+                  AC_DEFINE(HAVE_LBER,1,
+                           [defined if liblber is available])
+                  have_lber=yes
+               ])
 fi
+AC_SUBST(LBER_LIBS)
 
 #
 # Check for curl.  We fake the curl API if libcurl isn't installed.
diff --git a/dirmngr/Makefile.am b/dirmngr/Makefile.am
index c5f073e3b..7c431658e 100644
--- a/dirmngr/Makefile.am
+++ b/dirmngr/Makefile.am
@@ -72,7 +72,8 @@ dirmngr_ldap_SOURCES = dirmngr_ldap.c $(ldap_url)
 dirmngr_ldap_CFLAGS = $(GPG_ERROR_CFLAGS) $(LIBGCRYPT_CFLAGS)
 dirmngr_ldap_LDFLAGS =
 dirmngr_ldap_LDADD = $(libcommon) no-libgcrypt.o ../gl/libgnu.a $(DNSLIBS) \
-		     $(GPG_ERROR_LIBS) $(LDAPLIBS) $(LIBINTL) $(LIBICONV)
+		     $(GPG_ERROR_LIBS) $(LDAPLIBS) $(LBER_LIBS) $(LIBINTL) \
+		     $(LIBICONV)
 endif
 
 dirmngr_client_SOURCES = dirmngr-client.c