diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index 9bb5f2d8..22203a68 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -14,7 +14,6 @@ pkgconfig_DATA = espeak-ng.pc
 SHARED_VERSION=2:51:1 # = *.so.1.1.51
 
 MKDIR=mkdir -p
-KRAMDOWN=kramdown
 
 # -Wno-endif-labels : Needed to prevent warnings in ieee80.c.
 AM_CFLAGS = \
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index bb124bb3..a333ab93 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -257,6 +257,8 @@ AC_CHECK_PROG(RONN, ronn, ronn, no)
 
 AM_CONDITIONAL(HAVE_RONN, [test ! x"$RONN" = xno])
 
+AC_CHECK_PROG(KRAMDOWN, kramdown, kramdown, no)
+
 dnl ================================================================
 dnl Extended dictionary checks.
 dnl ================================================================