diff --git a/configuration/configure.ac b/configuration/configure.ac
index 83462a6..c1b1fa0 100644
--- a/configuration/configure.ac
+++ b/configuration/configure.ac
@@ -94,6 +94,7 @@
 AC_PROG_SED
 AC_PATH_PROG(TR, tr)
 AC_PATH_PROG(CUT, cut)
+AC_PATH_PROG(PERL, perl)
 AX_PROG_PERL_VERSION(5.6.0)
 AC_PATH_PROG(DATE, date)
 AC_PATH_PROG(EXPR, expr)
@@ -133,10 +134,10 @@
 dnl
 AC_PATH_PROG(PHP, php)
 AS_IF([$PHP_AVAILABLE],
-	[	AC_MSG_CHECKING([for Numbers_Words package (PHP)])
+	[	AC_MSG_CHECKING([for php package Numbers_Words])
 		AS_IF([(sh -c "$ac_cv_path_PHP -r 'require AS_ESCAPE(["Numbers/Words.php"]);'" 2>&1 /dev/null | grep 'Failed opening required' 2>&1 > /dev/null)],
 			[	AC_MSG_RESULT([no])
-				AC_MSG_ERROR([could not find Numbers_Words package (PHP)])],
+				AC_MSG_ERROR([could not find php package Numbers_Words])],
 			[	AC_MSG_RESULT([yes])])])
 
 dnl