diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index ba4ae31a0..676f7f98e 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -767,23 +767,31 @@ AC_ARG_ENABLE(msg-storage,
 	[enable_msg_storage=auto]
 )
 
-
 AM_CONDITIONAL(BUILD_MSG_STORAGE, test x$enable_msg_storage = xtrue)
+
 if test x$enable_msg_storage != xfalse; then
-	PKG_CHECK_MODULES(SQLITE3,[ sqlite3 >= 3.6.0],[
+	PKG_CHECK_MODULES(SQLITE3,[sqlite3 >= 3.6.0],[found_sqlite=yes],[found_sqlite=no])
+	if test "$found_sqlite" = "no"; then
+		dnl Check the lib presence in case the PKG-CONFIG version is not found
+		AC_CHECK_LIB(sqlite3, sqlite3_open, [SQLITE3_LIBS+=" -lsqlite3 "
+		found_sqlite=yes],
+			[AC_MSG_ERROR([No pkg-config or alternate SQLITE found, needed for message storage.])]
+		)
+	fi
+	if test "$found_sqlite" = "yes"; then
 		SQLITE3_CFLAGS+="-DMSG_STORAGE_ENABLED"
-		AC_SUBST(SQLITE3_CFLAGS)
-		AC_SUBST(SQLITE3_LIBS)
-		enable_msg_storage=true
-		],[
-		if test x$enable_msg_storage = xtrue; then 
-			AC_MSG_ERROR([sqlite3 required for message storage not found.])
+	else
+		if test x$enable_msg_storage = xtrue; then
+			AC_MSG_ERROR([sqlite3, required for message storage, not found])
+			enable_msg_storage=false
 		fi
-		enable_msg_storage=false
-		] )
+	fi
 	
+	AC_SUBST(SQLITE3_CFLAGS)
+	AC_SUBST(SQLITE3_LIBS)
 fi
 
+
 	
 PKG_CHECK_MODULES(BELLESIP, [belle-sip >= 1.3.1])