diff --git a/configure b/configure
index 0dadd31a3a..0eb25dd77c 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -1644,8 +1644,8 @@ fi
 # GTK probe
 
 if test "$gtk" != "no"; then
-    if $pkg_config gtk+-2.0 --modversion >/dev/null 2>/dev/null && \
-       $pkg_config vte --modversion >/dev/null 2>/dev/null; then
+    if $pkg_config --exists 'gtk+-2.0 >= 2.18.0' && \
+       $pkg_config --exists 'vte >= 0.26.0'; then
 	gtk_cflags=`$pkg_config --cflags gtk+-2.0 2>/dev/null`
 	gtk_libs=`$pkg_config --libs gtk+-2.0 2>/dev/null`
 	vte_cflags=`$pkg_config --cflags vte 2>/dev/null`