diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 125349e74..9e798cbbd 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -103,7 +103,6 @@ AM_CONDITIONAL(HAVE_CAIRO_FT, $have_cairo_ft)
 dnl ==========================================================================
 
 PKG_CHECK_MODULES(ICU, icu, have_icu=true, [
-	have_icu=false
 	if test $cross_compiling == no; then
 		AC_CHECK_PROG([have_icu], [icu-config], [true], [false])
 		if $have_icu; then