diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index b2c143c..6520bb8 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ if test "${ac_cv_have_tiocgwinsz}" = "yes"; then
 fi
 
 CUCUL="no"
-PKG_CHECK_MODULES(cucul, cucul >= 0.99.beta10,
+PKG_CHECK_MODULES(CUCUL, cucul >= 0.99.beta10,
  [CUCUL="yes"],
  [AC_MSG_RESULT(no)
   AC_MSG_ERROR([you need libcucul version 0.99.beta10 or later])])
diff --git a/src/Makefile.am b/src/Makefile.am
index a909ef1..b50ae00 100644
--- a/src/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/Makefile.am
@@ -8,6 +8,6 @@ toilet_SOURCES = main.c toilet.h \
 	export.c export.h \
 	term.c figlet.c
 toilet_CPPFLAGS = -DFONTDIR=\"$(datadir)/figlet\"
-toilet_CFLAGS = `pkg-config --cflags cucul`
-toilet_LDFLAGS = `pkg-config --libs cucul` @GETOPT_LIBS@ @ZLIB_LIBS@
+toilet_CFLAGS = @CUCUL_CFLAGS@
+toilet_LDADD = @CUCUL_LIBS@ @GETOPT_LIBS@ @ZLIB_LIBS@
 
diff --git a/tools/Makefile.am b/tools/Makefile.am
index 1d015c5..dcb6bc3 100644
--- a/tools/Makefile.am
+++ b/tools/Makefile.am
@@ -3,6 +3,6 @@
 noinst_PROGRAMS = caca2tlf
 
 caca2tlf_SOURCES = caca2tlf.c
-caca2tlf_CFLAGS = `pkg-config --cflags cucul`
-caca2tlf_LDFLAGS = `pkg-config --libs cucul`
+caca2tlf_CFLAGS = @CUCUL_CFLAGS@
+caca2tlf_LDFLAGS = @CUCUL_LIBS@