diff --git a/cde/lib/DtHelp/Helpos.c b/cde/lib/DtHelp/Helpos.c
index 3787c33d4..e4daa5604 100644
--- a/cde/lib/DtHelp/Helpos.c
+++ b/cde/lib/DtHelp/Helpos.c
@@ -47,9 +47,11 @@
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <string.h>
 
-#include <autotools_config.h>
+#if defined(HAVE_CONFIG_H)
+# include <autotools_config.h>
+#endif
 #if defined(HAVE_LOCALE_H)
-#include <locale.h>
+# include <locale.h>
 #endif
 
 #define X_INCLUDE_PWD_H
diff --git a/cde/lib/DtHelp/il/ilint.h b/cde/lib/DtHelp/il/ilint.h
index f7fdf1de0..376de0fda 100644
--- a/cde/lib/DtHelp/il/ilint.h
+++ b/cde/lib/DtHelp/il/ilint.h
@@ -44,7 +44,10 @@
         */
 
 /* use autotools detection to determine endianess */
-#include <autotools_config.h>
+#if defined(HAVE_CONFIG_H)
+# include <autotools_config.h>
+#endif
+
 #ifndef WORDS_BIGENDIAN
 # define LSB_BIT_ORDER
 #endif