diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 9637d23822..53aae27778 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -76,6 +76,7 @@
 ## files created by _autosetup (autoreconf):
 *.in
 *.in~
+!*.pc.in
 aclocal.m4
 autom4te.cache/
 compile
@@ -96,6 +97,7 @@ test-driver
 ## files created by configure:
 Makefile
 .deps/
+*.pc
 boinc_path_config.py
 pkginfo
 prototype
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index a85d84a16f..0d4def58ce 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -64,6 +64,9 @@ SAH_LINKS
 AC_LANG_PUSH(C)
 AM_PROG_CC_C_O
 
+PKG_PROG_PKG_CONFIG
+PKG_INSTALLDIR
+
 m4_divert_once([HELP_ENABLE],
   AS_HELP_STRING([BOINC Default enable values], [--enable-server --enable-client --enable-libraries --enable-manager: builds server, client, and libraries]))