diff --git a/builds/posix/Makefile.in.extern.editline b/builds/posix/Makefile.in.extern.editline
index 1fb6d8cbe8..6ef6f0b6a8 100644
--- a/builds/posix/Makefile.in.extern.editline
+++ b/builds/posix/Makefile.in.extern.editline
@@ -59,12 +59,12 @@ include     $(ROOT)/gen/make.shared.variables
 .PHONY: libeditline
 
 
-libeditline : $(LIB)/libeditline.a
+libeditline : $(LIB)/libedit.a
 
-$(LIB)/libeditline.a:
+$(LIB)/libedit.a:
 	cd $(ROOT)/extern/editline; chmod +x configure; ./configure --enable-static --disable-shared
 	$(MAKE) -C $(ROOT)/extern/editline
-	cp $(ROOT)/extern/editline/src/.libs/libedit.a $(LIB)/libeditline.a
+	cp $(ROOT)/extern/editline/src/.libs/libedit.a $(LIB)
 
 
 include $(ROOT)/gen/make.shared.targets
diff --git a/builds/posix/make.defaults b/builds/posix/make.defaults
index 3c3fa0989e..ad40da50b9 100755
--- a/builds/posix/make.defaults
+++ b/builds/posix/make.defaults
@@ -106,6 +106,7 @@ SFIO_EXAMPLES=@SFIO_EXAMPLES@
 # link with readline libraries - set by configure
 EDITLINE_FLG=@EDITLINE_FLG@
 STD_EDITLINE=@STD_EDITLINE@
+READLINE=@READLINE@
 STD_ICU=@STD_ICU@
 
 # threading options - set by configure
@@ -223,9 +224,9 @@ LIBFBSTATIC_A = $(LIB)/libfbstatic.a
 
 ifeq ($(EDITLINE_FLG),Y)
   ifeq ($(STD_EDITLINE), true)
-	LIBEDITLINE := -leditline
+	LIBEDITLINE := -l$(READLINE)
   else
-	LIBEDITLINE := $(LIB)/libeditline.a
+	LIBEDITLINE := $(LIB)/libedit.a
   endif
 endif
 
diff --git a/configure.in b/configure.in
index 0a1dcb624f..ba1cb3255b 100644
--- a/configure.in
+++ b/configure.in
@@ -412,12 +412,19 @@ AC_ARG_WITH(system-editline,
    esac])
 
 # not need editline in default libs, but need to test for its presence
+READLINE=edit	# builtin default
 saveLIBS=$LIBS
 if test "$STD_EDITLINE" = "true"; then
-  AC_CHECK_LIB(editline, readline, EDITLINE_FLG=Y, STD_EDITLINE=false)
+  AC_CHECK_LIB(edit, readline, READLINE=edit, 
+    AC_CHECK_LIB(editline, readline, READLINE=editline, 
+      AC_CHECK_LIB(readline, readline, READLINE=readline, STD_EDITLINE=false)))
+fi
+if test "$STD_EDITLINE" = "true"; then
+  EDITLINE_FLG=Y
 fi
 LIBS=$saveLIBS
 
+AC_SUBST(READLINE)
 AC_SUBST(STD_EDITLINE)
 AC_SUBST(EDITLINE_FLG)