diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 75f62f576..496d957b3 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ SST_CHECK_MPI([], [AC_MSG_ERROR([Could not find MPI package])])
 
 SST_CHECK_PYTHON([], [AC_MSG_ERROR([Could not find Python, this is required for SST to build])])
 SST_CHECK_LIBZ([have_zlib="yes"],[have_zlib="no"],[AC_MSG_ERROR([zlib was requested but could not be found.])])
-SST_CHECK_CURSES([], [AC_MSG_ERROR([Could not find curses, this is required for utility sstinfo to build])])
+SST_CHECK_CURSES()
 dnl AC_MSG_ERROR([Could not find curses, this is required for utility sst-info to build])])
 SST_CHECK_BACKTRACE()
 SST_CHECK_HDF5()
@@ -239,4 +239,10 @@ else
     printf "%38s : No\n" "libz compression library"
 fi
 
+if test "x$sst_check_curses_happy" = "xyes" ; then
+    printf "%38s : Yes\n" "curses library"
+else
+    printf "%38s : No\n" "curses library"
+fi
+
 echo "-------------------------------------------------------"
diff --git a/src/sst/core/Makefile.am b/src/sst/core/Makefile.am
index 7d0b4c5f1..5e89af571 100644
--- a/src/sst/core/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/sst/core/Makefile.am
@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@ AM_CPPFLAGS =  \
 	-DTIXML_USE_STL \
 	-DSST_BUILDING_CORE=1 \
 	$(PYTHON_CPPFLAGS) \
-	$(CURSES_CPPFLAGS) \
 	-I$(top_srcdir)/external \
 	$(LTDLINCL)
 
@@ -305,13 +304,11 @@ sstsim_x_LDFLAGS = \
 sstinfo_x_LDADD = \
 	$(MPILIBS) \
 	$(TCMALLOC_LIB) \
-	$(CURSES_LIBS) \
 	-lm
 
 sstinfo_x_LDFLAGS = \
 	$(TCMALLOC_LDFLAGS) \
 	$(PYTHON_LDFLAGS) \
-	$(CURSES_LDFLAGS) \
 	-export-dynamic \
 	$(SST_LTLIBS_ELEMLIBS)
 
@@ -344,6 +341,12 @@ sstsim_x_LDADD += $(LIBZ_LIBS)
 sstinfo_x_LDADD += $(LIBZ_LIBS)
 endif
 
+if USE_CURSES
+AM_CPPFLAGS += $(CURSES_CFPPLAGS)
+sstinfo_x_LDADD += $(CURSES_LIBS)
+sstinfo_x_LDFLAGS += $(CURSES_LDFLAGS)
+endif
+
 if USE_HDF5
 AM_CPPFLAGS += $(HDF5_CFLAGS)
 sstsim_x_SOURCES += statapi/statoutputhdf5.cc