diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 0941e8e3..1641ca1d 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -496,7 +496,7 @@ AM_CONDITIONAL([COND_SHARED], [test "x$enable_shared" != xno])
 
 echo
 echo "Initializing gettext:"
-AM_GNU_GETTEXT_VERSION([0.16.1])
+AM_GNU_GETTEXT_VERSION([0.18])
 AM_GNU_GETTEXT([external])
 
 ###############################################################################