diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 924faa89..c6317588 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -23,6 +23,9 @@ GETTEXT_PACKAGE=AC_PACKAGE_TARNAME
 AC_SUBST(GETTEXT_PACKAGE)
 AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED(GETTEXT_PACKAGE,"$GETTEXT_PACKAGE", [GETTEXT package name])
 
+AS_IF([test "x$USE_NLS" != "xno"],
+      [AC_DEFINE([ENABLE_NLS], [1], [Native language support is enabled])])
+
 ## don't rerun to this point if we abort
 AC_CACHE_SAVE