diff --git a/acconfig.h b/acconfig.h
index 4ef0398be..9dabe370e 100644
--- a/acconfig.h
+++ b/acconfig.h
@@ -48,14 +48,6 @@ static /**/const char *const rcsid[] = { (const char *)rcsid, "\100(#)" msg }
 #define SGTTY
 #endif
 
-/*
- * Define NDBM if you are using the 4.3 ndbm library (which is part of
- * libc).  If not defined, 4.2 dbm will be assumed.
- */
-#if defined(HAVE_DBM_FIRSTKEY)
-#define NDBM
-#endif
-
 /* telnet stuff ----------------------------------------------- */
 
 #if defined(ENCRYPTION) && !defined(AUTHENTICATION)
diff --git a/appl/ftp/ftpd/Makefile.am b/appl/ftp/ftpd/Makefile.am
index b7443754d..2b75834a0 100644
--- a/appl/ftp/ftpd/Makefile.am
+++ b/appl/ftp/ftpd/Makefile.am
@@ -52,5 +52,4 @@ LDADD = ../common/libcommon.a \
 	$(LIB_krb5) \
 	$(LIB_krb4) \
 	$(LIB_des) \
-	$(LIB_roken) \
-	$(DBLIB)
+	$(LIB_roken)
diff --git a/appl/otp/Makefile.am b/appl/otp/Makefile.am
index 7d65962f8..88fa65831 100644
--- a/appl/otp/Makefile.am
+++ b/appl/otp/Makefile.am
@@ -10,7 +10,4 @@ otpprint_SOURCES = otpprint.c otp_locl.h
 man_MANS = otp.1  otpprint.1
 
 LDADD = \
-	$(top_builddir)/lib/otp/libotp.la \
-	$(LIB_des) \
-	$(LIB_roken) \
-	$(DBLIB)
+	$(top_builddir)/lib/otp/libotp.la
diff --git a/cf/db.m4 b/cf/db.m4
index f5e9cd0e4..0de703cb8 100644
--- a/cf/db.m4
+++ b/cf/db.m4
@@ -9,32 +9,140 @@ if test "$withval" = no; then
 	berkeley_db=""
 fi
 ])
+
+db_type=unknown
+
 if test "$berkeley_db"; then
+
   AC_CHECK_HEADERS([				\
 	db.h					\
 	db_185.h				\
   ])
-fi
 
-AC_FIND_FUNC_NO_LIBS2(dbopen, $berkeley_db, [
-#include <stdio.h>
-#if defined(HAVE_DB_185_H)
-#include <db_185.h>
-#elif defined(HAVE_DB_H)
-#include <db.h>
-#endif
-],[NULL, 0, 0, 0, NULL])
+dnl db_create is used by db3
 
-AC_FIND_FUNC_NO_LIBS(dbm_firstkey, $berkeley_db gdbm ndbm)
-AC_FIND_FUNC_NO_LIBS(db_create, $berkeley_db)
+  AC_FIND_FUNC_NO_LIBS(db_create, $berkeley_db, [
+  #include <stdio.h>
+  #include <db.h>
+  ],[NULL, NULL, 0])
 
-DBLIB="$LIB_dbopen"
-if test "$LIB_dbopen" != "$LIB_db_create"; then
-        DBLIB="$DBLIB $LIB_db_create"
-fi
-if test "$LIB_dbopen" != "$LIB_dbm_firstkey"; then
-	DBLIB="$DBLIB $LIB_dbm_firstkey"
-fi
+  if test "$ac_cv_func_db_create" = "yes"; then
+    db_type=db3
+    if test "$ac_cv_funclib_db_create" != "yes"; then
+      DBLIB="$ac_cv_funclib_db_create"
+    else
+      DBLIB=""
+    fi
+    AC_DEFINE(HAVE_DB3, 1, [define if you have a berkeley db3 library])
+  else
+
+dnl dbopen is used by db1/db2
+
+    AC_FIND_FUNC_NO_LIBS(dbopen, $berkeley_db, [
+    #include <stdio.h>
+    #if defined(HAVE_DB_185_H)
+    #include <db_185.h>
+    #elif defined(HAVE_DB_H)
+    #include <db.h>
+    #else
+    #error no db.h
+    #endif
+    ],[NULL, 0, 0, 0, NULL])
+
+    if test "$ac_cv_func_dbopen" = "yes"; then
+      db_type=db1
+      if test "$ac_cv_funclib_dbopen" != "yes"; then
+        DBLIB="$ac_cv_funclib_dbopen"
+      else
+        DBLIB=""
+      fi
+      AC_DEFINE(HAVE_DB1, 1, [define if you have a berkeley db1/2 library])
+    fi
+  fi
+
+dnl test for ndbm compatability
+
+  AC_FIND_FUNC_NO_LIBS2(dbm_firstkey, $ac_cv_funclib_dbopen, [
+  #include <stdio.h>
+  #define DB_DBM_HSEARCH 1
+  #include <db.h>
+  DBM *dbm;
+  ],[NULL])
+
+  if test "$ac_cv_func_dbm_firstkey" = "yes"; then
+    if test "$ac_cv_funclib_dbm_firstkey" != "yes"; then
+      LIB_NDBM="$ac_cv_funclib_dbm_firstkey"
+    else
+      LIB_NDBM=""
+    fi
+    AC_DEFINE(HAVE_DB_NDBM, 1, [define if you have ndbm compat in db])
+  else
+    $as_unset ac_cv_func_dbm_firstkey
+    $as_unset ac_cv_funclib_dbm_firstkey
+  fi
+
+fi # berkeley db
+
+if test "$db_type" = "unknown" -o "$ac_cv_func_dbm_firstkey" = ""; then
+
+  AC_CHECK_HEADERS([				\
+	dbm.h					\
+	ndbm.h					\
+  ])
+
+  AC_FIND_FUNC_NO_LIBS(dbm_firstkey, ndbm, [
+  #include <stdio.h>
+  #if defined(HAVE_DBM_H)
+  #include <dbm.h>
+  #elif defined(HAVE_NDBM_H)
+  #include <ndbm.h>
+  #else
+  #error no ndbm.h
+  #endif
+  DBM *dbm;
+  ],[NULL])
+
+  if test "$ac_cv_func_dbm_firstkey" = "yes"; then
+    if test "$ac_cv_funclib_dbm_firstkey" != "yes"; then
+      LIB_NDBM="$ac_cv_funclib_dbm_firstkey"
+    else
+      LIB_NDBM=""
+    fi
+    AC_DEFINE(HAVE_NDBM, 1, [define if you have a ndbm library])dnl
+    if test "$db_type" = "unknown"; then
+      db_type=ndbm
+      DBLIB="$LIB_NDBM"
+    fi
+  else
+
+    $as_unset ac_cv_func_dbm_firstkey
+    $as_unset ac_cv_funclib_dbm_firstkey
+
+    AC_CHECK_HEADERS([				\
+	  gdbm/ndbm.h				\
+    ])
+
+    AC_FIND_FUNC_NO_LIBS(dbm_firstkey, gdbm, [
+    #include <stdio.h>
+    #include <gdbm/ndbm.h>
+    DBM *dbm;
+    ],[NULL])
+
+    if test "$ac_cv_func_dbm_firstkey" = "yes"; then
+      if test "$ac_cv_funclib_dbm_firstkey" != "yes"; then
+	LIB_NDBM="$ac_cv_funclib_dbm_firstkey"
+      else
+	LIB_NDBM=""
+      fi
+      AC_DEFINE(HAVE_NDBM, 1, [define if you have a ndbm library])dnl
+      if test "$db_type" = "unknown"; then
+	db_type=ndbm
+	DBLIB="$LIB_NDBM"
+      fi
+    fi
+  fi
+
+fi # unknown
 AC_SUBST(DBLIB)dnl
-
+AC_SUBST(LIB_NDBM)dnl
 ])
diff --git a/configure.in b/configure.in
index bf0956c7e..da0e6c504 100644
--- a/configure.in
+++ b/configure.in
@@ -251,20 +251,17 @@ AC_CHECK_HEADERS([\
 	bsdsetjmp.h				\
 	crypt.h					\
 	curses.h				\
-	dbm.h					\
 	dirent.h				\
 	dlfcn.h					\
 	err.h					\
 	errno.h					\
 	fcntl.h					\
 	fnmatch.h				\
-	gdbm/ndbm.h				\
 	grp.h					\
 	inttypes.h				\
 	io.h					\
 	limits.h				\
 	maillock.h				\
-	ndbm.h					\
 	net/if.h				\
 	netdb.h					\
 	netinet/in.h				\
@@ -279,7 +276,6 @@ AC_CHECK_HEADERS([\
 	pty.h					\
 	pwd.h					\
 	resolv.h				\
-	rpcsvc/dbm.h				\
 	sac.h					\
 	security/pam_modules.h			\
 	sgtty.h					\
diff --git a/lib/hdb/db.c b/lib/hdb/db.c
index c4ac81d19..f5643b7ed 100644
--- a/lib/hdb/db.c
+++ b/lib/hdb/db.c
@@ -35,7 +35,13 @@
 
 RCSID("$Id$");
 
-#if defined(HAVE_DB_H) && DB_VERSION_MAJOR < 3
+#if HAVE_DB1
+
+#if defined(HAVE_DB_185_H)
+#include <db_185.h>
+#elif defined(HAVE_DB_H)
+#include <db.h>
+#endif
 
 static krb5_error_code
 DB_close(krb5_context context, HDB *db)
@@ -290,4 +296,4 @@ hdb_db_create(krb5_context context, HDB **db,
     return 0;
 }
 
-#endif
+#endif /* HAVE_DB1 */
diff --git a/lib/hdb/db3.c b/lib/hdb/db3.c
index 9a084b014..7d62181c6 100644
--- a/lib/hdb/db3.c
+++ b/lib/hdb/db3.c
@@ -35,7 +35,10 @@
 
 RCSID("$Id$");
 
-#if defined(HAVE_DB_H) && DB_VERSION_MAJOR == 3
+#if HAVE_DB3
+
+#include <db.h>
+
 static krb5_error_code
 DB_close(krb5_context context, HDB *db)
 {
@@ -322,4 +325,4 @@ hdb_db_create(krb5_context context, HDB **db,
     (*db)->destroy = DB_destroy;
     return 0;
 }
-#endif
+#endif /* HAVE_DB3 */
diff --git a/lib/hdb/hdb.c b/lib/hdb/hdb.c
index f8dddcc05..890fd4c1a 100644
--- a/lib/hdb/hdb.c
+++ b/lib/hdb/hdb.c
@@ -41,18 +41,18 @@ struct hdb_method {
 };
 
 static struct hdb_method methods[] = {
-#ifdef HAVE_DB_H
+#if HAVE_DB1 || HAVE_DB3
     {"db:",	hdb_db_create},
 #endif
-#if defined(HAVE_NDBM_H) || defined(HAVE_GDBM_NDBM_H)
+#if HAVE_NDBM
     {"ndbm:",	hdb_ndbm_create},
 #endif
 #ifdef OPENLDAP
     {"ldap:",	hdb_ldap_create},
 #endif
-#ifdef HAVE_DB_H
+#if HAVE_DB1 || HAVE_DB3
     {"",	hdb_db_create},
-#elif defined(HAVE_NDBM_H)
+#elif defined(HAVE_NDBM)
     {"",	hdb_ndbm_create},
 #elif defined(OPENLDAP)
     {"",	hdb_ldap_create},
diff --git a/lib/hdb/hdb_locl.h b/lib/hdb/hdb_locl.h
index e7aaee439..61e43ceff 100644
--- a/lib/hdb/hdb_locl.h
+++ b/lib/hdb/hdb_locl.h
@@ -65,16 +65,4 @@
 #include <hdb.h>
 #include <hdb-private.h>
 
-#if defined(HAVE_DB_185_H)
-#include <db_185.h>
-#elif defined(HAVE_DB_H)
-#include <db.h>
-#endif
-
-#if defined(HAVE_NDBM_H)
-#include <ndbm.h>
-#elif defined(HAVE_GDBM_NDBM_H)
-#include <gdbm/ndbm.h>
-#endif
-
 #endif /* __HDB_LOCL_H__ */
diff --git a/lib/hdb/ndbm.c b/lib/hdb/ndbm.c
index a86009af8..c3660d222 100644
--- a/lib/hdb/ndbm.c
+++ b/lib/hdb/ndbm.c
@@ -35,7 +35,15 @@
 
 RCSID("$Id$");
 
-#if defined(HAVE_NDBM_H) || defined(HAVE_GDBM_NDBM_H)
+#if HAVE_NDBM
+
+#if defined(HAVE_GDBM_NDBM_H)
+#include <gdbm/ndbm.h>
+#elif defined(HAVE_DBM_H)
+#include <dbm.h>
+#elif defined(HAVE_NDBM_H)
+#include <ndbm.h>
+#endif
 
 struct ndbm_db {
     DBM *db;
@@ -350,4 +358,4 @@ hdb_ndbm_create(krb5_context context, HDB **db,
     return 0;
 }
 
-#endif
+#endif /* HAVE_NDBM */
diff --git a/lib/otp/Makefile.am b/lib/otp/Makefile.am
index ac6b745fe..11a780719 100644
--- a/lib/otp/Makefile.am
+++ b/lib/otp/Makefile.am
@@ -6,16 +6,15 @@ INCLUDES += $(INCLUDE_krb4)
 
 noinst_PROGRAMS = otptest
 
-otptest_LDADD = libotp.la \
-	$(LIB_des) \
-	$(LIB_roken) \
-	$(DBLIB)
+check_PROGRAMS = otptest
+
+otptest_LDADD = libotp.la
 
 include_HEADERS = otp.h
 
 lib_LTLIBRARIES = libotp.la
 libotp_la_LDFLAGS = -version-info 1:2:1
-libotp_la_LIBADD  = $(LIB_des) ../roken/libroken.la
+libotp_la_LIBADD  = $(LIB_des) $(LIB_roken) $(LIB_NDBM)
 
 libotp_la_SOURCES = \
 	otp.c \
diff --git a/lib/roken/xdbm.h b/lib/roken/xdbm.h
index 31c3e36c2..1e50e4de9 100644
--- a/lib/roken/xdbm.h
+++ b/lib/roken/xdbm.h
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright (c) 1995 - 2000 Kungliga Tekniska Högskolan
+ * Copyright (c) 1995 - 2001 Kungliga Tekniska Högskolan
  * (Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden).
  * All rights reserved.
  * 
@@ -38,23 +38,20 @@
 #ifndef __XDBM_H__
 #define __XDBM_H__
 
-#if defined(HAVE_DB_H)
+#if HAVE_DB_NDBM
 #define DB_DBM_HSEARCH 1
 #include <db.h>
-#endif
-
-#ifndef DBM_INSERT
-#if defined(HAVE_NDBM_H)
-#include <ndbm.h>
-#elif defined(HAVE_GDBM_NDBM_H)
+#elif HAVE_NDBM
+#if defined(HAVE_GDBM_NDBM_H)
 #include <gdbm/ndbm.h>
 #elif defined(HAVE_DBM_H)
 #include <dbm.h>
-#elif defined(HAVE_RPCSVC_DBM_H)
-#include <rpcsvc/dbm.h>
-#endif
+#elif defined(HAVE_NDBM_H)
+#include <ndbm.h>
 #endif
+#endif /* HAVE_NDBM */
 
+#if 0
 /* Macros to convert ndbm names to dbm names.
  * Note that dbm_nextkey() cannot be simply converted using a macro, since
  * it is invoked giving the database, and nextkey() needs the previous key.
@@ -75,5 +72,6 @@ typedef char DBM;
 #else
 #define dbm_next(db,key) dbm_nextkey(db)
 #endif
+#endif
 
 #endif /* __XDBM_H__ */