diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index b44dd7501..0ab61ba82 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -177,7 +177,7 @@ if test "$have_icu" != "true"; then
 		# necessarily want, like debugging and optimization flags
 		# See man (1) icu-config for more info.
 		ICU_CFLAGS=`$ICU_CONFIG --cppflags`
-		ICU_LIBS=`$ICU_CONFIG --ldflags-libsonly`
+		ICU_LIBS=`$ICU_CONFIG --ldflags-searchpath --ldflags-libsonly`
 		AC_SUBST(ICU_CFLAGS)
 		AC_SUBST(ICU_LIBS)
 		AC_MSG_RESULT([yes])
@@ -205,7 +205,7 @@ if test "$have_icu_le" != "true"; then
 		# necessarily want, like debugging and optimization flags
 		# See man (1) icu-config for more info.
 		ICU_LE_CFLAGS=`$ICU_CONFIG --cppflags`
-		ICU_LE_LIBS=`$ICU_CONFIG --ldflags-libsonly --ldflags-layout`
+		ICU_LE_LIBS=`$ICU_CONFIG --ldflags-searchpath --ldflags-libsonly --ldflags-layout`
 		AC_SUBST(ICU_LE_CFLAGS)
 		AC_SUBST(ICU_LE_LIBS)
 		AC_MSG_RESULT([yes])