diff --git a/Makefile.target b/Makefile.target
index 5928135c57..64143618c7 100644
--- a/Makefile.target
+++ b/Makefile.target
@@ -416,7 +416,7 @@ vl.o: qemu-options.h
 
 monitor.o: qemu-monitor.h
 
-LIBS += $(COCOA_LIBS) $(CURSES_LIBS) $(BRLAPI_LIBS) $(VDE_LIBS) $(CURL_LIBS)
+LIBS += $(COCOA_LIBS) $(BRLAPI_LIBS) $(VDE_LIBS) $(CURL_LIBS)
 ARLIBS=../libqemu_common.a libqemu.a $(HWLIB)
 
 endif # !CONFIG_USER_ONLY
diff --git a/configure b/configure
index 90202540d3..f1dd16cb09 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -1074,9 +1074,9 @@ if test "$curses" = "yes" ; then
 int main(void) { resize_term(0, 0); return curses_version(); }
 EOF
   if compile_prog "" "-lncurses" ; then
-    curses_libs="-lncurses"
+    libs_softmmu="-lncurses $libs_softmmu"
   elif compile_prog "" "-lcurses" ; then
-    curses_libs="-lcurses"
+    libs_softmmu="-lcurses $libs_softmmu"
   else
     curses=no
   fi
@@ -1658,7 +1658,6 @@ if test "$cocoa" = "yes" ; then
 fi
 if test "$curses" = "yes" ; then
   echo "CONFIG_CURSES=y" >> $config_host_mak
-  echo "CURSES_LIBS=$curses_libs" >> $config_host_mak
 fi
 if test "$atfile" = "yes" ; then
   echo "CONFIG_ATFILE=y" >> $config_host_mak