diff --git a/argp-help.c b/argp-help.c
index a12367b..6f64056 100644
--- a/argp-help.c
+++ b/argp-help.c
@@ -56,9 +56,9 @@ char *alloca ();
 
 #ifndef _
 /* This is for other GNU distributions with internationalized messages.  */
-# if defined HAVE_LIBINTL_H || defined _LIBC
+# if defined HAVE_LIBINTL_H || 0
 #  include <libintl.h>
-#  ifdef _LIBC
+#  if 0
 #   undef dgettext
 #   define dgettext(domain, msgid) \
   __dcgettext (domain, msgid, LC_MESSAGES)
@@ -68,6 +68,9 @@ char *alloca ();
 # endif
 #endif
 
+/* can't use macro due to double evaluation */
+static char * dgettext_safe(const char *d, const char *m) { return m ? dgettext(d, m) : NULL; }
+
 #include <argp.h>
 #include <argp-fmtstream.h>
 #include "argp-namefrob.h"
@@ -996,7 +999,7 @@ static void
 print_header (const char *str, const struct argp *argp,
 	      struct pentry_state *pest)
 {
-  const char *tstr = dgettext (argp->argp_domain, str);
+  const char *tstr = dgettext_safe (argp->argp_domain, str);
   const char *fstr = filter_doc (tstr, ARGP_KEY_HELP_HEADER, argp, pest->state);
 
   if (fstr)
@@ -1150,7 +1153,7 @@ hol_entry_help (struct hol_entry *entry, const struct argp_state *state,
     }
   else
     {
-      const char *tstr = real->doc ? dgettext (state == NULL ? NULL
+      const char *tstr = real->doc ? dgettext_safe (state == NULL ? NULL
 					       : state->root_argp->argp_domain,
 					       real->doc) : 0;
       const char *fstr = filter_doc (tstr, real->key, entry->argp, state);
@@ -1387,7 +1390,7 @@ argp_args_usage (const struct argp *argp, const struct argp_state *state,
   char *our_level = *levels;
   int multiple = 0;
   const struct argp_child *child = argp->children;
-  const char *tdoc = dgettext (argp->argp_domain, argp->args_doc), *nl = 0;
+  const char *tdoc = dgettext_safe (argp->argp_domain, argp->args_doc), *nl = 0;
   const char *fdoc = filter_doc (tdoc, ARGP_KEY_HELP_ARGS_DOC, argp, state);
 
   if (fdoc)
@@ -1452,7 +1455,7 @@ argp_doc (const struct argp *argp, const struct argp_state *state,
   void *input = 0;
   int anything = 0;
   size_t inp_text_limit = 0;
-  const char *doc = dgettext (argp->argp_domain, argp->doc);
+  const char *doc = dgettext_safe (argp->argp_domain, argp->doc);
   const struct argp_child *child = argp->children;
 
   if (doc)
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 9068110..386215d 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ fi
 
 # Checks for header files.
 AC_HEADER_STDC
-AC_CHECK_HEADERS(limits.h malloc.h unistd.h)
+AC_CHECK_HEADERS(limits.h malloc.h unistd.h libintl.h)
 
 # Checks for typedefs, structures, and compiler characteristics.
 AC_C_CONST