diff --git a/Makefile.in b/Makefile.in
index 467c2dc8..997dc0c6 100644
--- a/Makefile.in
+++ b/Makefile.in
@@ -90,12 +90,12 @@ build_triplet = @build@
 host_triplet = @host@
 subdir = .
 ACLOCAL_M4 = $(top_srcdir)/aclocal.m4
-am__aclocal_m4_deps = $(top_srcdir)/m4/ax_sqlite3.m4 \
-	$(top_srcdir)/m4/ax_with_curses.m4 \
+am__aclocal_m4_deps = $(top_srcdir)/m4/ax_with_curses.m4 \
 	$(top_srcdir)/m4/lnav_common.m4 \
 	$(top_srcdir)/m4/lnav_with_jemalloc.m4 \
 	$(top_srcdir)/m4/lnav_with_pcre.m4 \
 	$(top_srcdir)/m4/lnav_with_readline.m4 \
+	$(top_srcdir)/m4/lnav_with_sqlite3.m4 \
 	$(top_srcdir)/m4/lnav_with_yajl.m4 $(top_srcdir)/configure.ac
 am__configure_deps = $(am__aclocal_m4_deps) $(CONFIGURE_DEPENDENCIES) \
 	$(ACLOCAL_M4)
@@ -306,7 +306,6 @@ SQLITE3_CFLAGS = @SQLITE3_CFLAGS@
 SQLITE3_CMD = @SQLITE3_CMD@
 SQLITE3_LDFLAGS = @SQLITE3_LDFLAGS@
 SQLITE3_LIBS = @SQLITE3_LIBS@
-SQLITE3_VERSION = @SQLITE3_VERSION@
 STATIC_LDFLAGS = @STATIC_LDFLAGS@
 STRIP = @STRIP@
 VERSION = @VERSION@
diff --git a/aclocal.m4 b/aclocal.m4
index b8facb75..25b6d8b7 100644
--- a/aclocal.m4
+++ b/aclocal.m4
@@ -1385,10 +1385,10 @@ AC_SUBST([am__tar])
 AC_SUBST([am__untar])
 ]) # _AM_PROG_TAR
 
-m4_include([m4/ax_sqlite3.m4])
 m4_include([m4/ax_with_curses.m4])
 m4_include([m4/lnav_common.m4])
 m4_include([m4/lnav_with_jemalloc.m4])
 m4_include([m4/lnav_with_pcre.m4])
 m4_include([m4/lnav_with_readline.m4])
+m4_include([m4/lnav_with_sqlite3.m4])
 m4_include([m4/lnav_with_yajl.m4])
diff --git a/configure b/configure
index ab84beb9..052e2944 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -630,7 +630,6 @@ LIBOBJS
 USE_INCLUDED_YAJL_FALSE
 USE_INCLUDED_YAJL_TRUE
 STATIC_LDFLAGS
-SQLITE3_VERSION
 SQLITE3_LIBS
 SQLITE3_LDFLAGS
 SQLITE3_CFLAGS
@@ -1421,8 +1420,7 @@ Optional Packages:
   --with-pcre[=prefix]
   --with-readline[=prefix]
                           compile xmlreadline part (via libreadline check)
-  --with-sqlite3=[ARG]    use SQLite 3 library [default=yes], optionally
-                          specify the prefix for sqlite3 library
+  --with-sqlite3=[prefix] compile with sqlite3
 
 Some influential environment variables:
   CXX         C++ compiler command
@@ -7856,91 +7854,159 @@ fi
 
 
 
-
 # Check whether --with-sqlite3 was given.
 if test "${with_sqlite3+set}" = set; then :
   withval=$with_sqlite3;
-        if test "$withval" = "no"; then
-            WANT_SQLITE3="no"
-        elif test "$withval" = "yes"; then
-            WANT_SQLITE3="yes"
-            ac_sqlite3_path=""
-        else
-            WANT_SQLITE3="yes"
-            ac_sqlite3_path="$withval"
+else
+  with_sqlite3="yes"
+
+fi
+
+
+    case "$with_sqlite3" in #(
+  no) :
+    as_fn_error $? "sqlite3 required to build" "$LINENO" 5 ;; #(
+  yes) :
+     ;; #(
+  *) :
+
+  if test "x$CPPFLAGS" = "x"; then
+    test "x$verbose" = "xyes" && echo "  setting CPPFLAGS to \""-I$with_sqlite3/include"\""
+    CPPFLAGS=""-I$with_sqlite3/include""
+  else
+    ats_addto_bugger=""-I$with_sqlite3/include""
+    for i in $ats_addto_bugger; do
+      ats_addto_duplicate="0"
+      for j in $CPPFLAGS; do
+        if test "x$i" = "x$j"; then
+          ats_addto_duplicate="1"
+          break
         fi
+      done
+      if test $ats_addto_duplicate = "0"; then
+        test "x$verbose" = "xyes" && echo "  adding \"$i\" to CPPFLAGS"
+        CPPFLAGS="$CPPFLAGS $i"
+      fi
+    done
+  fi
+
+        SQLITE3_LDFLAGS="-L$with_sqlite3/lib"
+        SQLITE3_CFLAGS="-I$with_sqlite3/include"
+        LDFLAGS="-L$with_sqlite3/lib $LDFLAGS"
 
+     ;;
+esac
+
+    { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: checking for library containing sqlite3_open" >&5
+$as_echo_n "checking for library containing sqlite3_open... " >&6; }
+if ${ac_cv_search_sqlite3_open+:} false; then :
+  $as_echo_n "(cached) " >&6
 else
-  WANT_SQLITE3="yes"
+  ac_func_search_save_LIBS=$LIBS
+cat confdefs.h - <<_ACEOF >conftest.$ac_ext
+/* end confdefs.h.  */
 
+/* Override any GCC internal prototype to avoid an error.
+   Use char because int might match the return type of a GCC
+   builtin and then its argument prototype would still apply.  */
+#ifdef __cplusplus
+extern "C"
+#endif
+char sqlite3_open ();
+int
+main ()
+{
+return sqlite3_open ();
+  ;
+  return 0;
+}
+_ACEOF
+for ac_lib in '' sqlite3; do
+  if test -z "$ac_lib"; then
+    ac_res="none required"
+  else
+    ac_res=-l$ac_lib
+    LIBS="-l$ac_lib  $ac_func_search_save_LIBS"
+  fi
+  if ac_fn_c_try_link "$LINENO"; then :
+  ac_cv_search_sqlite3_open=$ac_res
 fi
+rm -f core conftest.err conftest.$ac_objext \
+    conftest$ac_exeext
+  if ${ac_cv_search_sqlite3_open+:} false; then :
+  break
+fi
+done
+if ${ac_cv_search_sqlite3_open+:} false; then :
 
+else
+  ac_cv_search_sqlite3_open=no
+fi
+rm conftest.$ac_ext
+LIBS=$ac_func_search_save_LIBS
+fi
+{ $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: result: $ac_cv_search_sqlite3_open" >&5
+$as_echo "$ac_cv_search_sqlite3_open" >&6; }
+ac_res=$ac_cv_search_sqlite3_open
+if test "$ac_res" != no; then :
+  test "$ac_res" = "none required" || LIBS="$ac_res $LIBS"
+  SQLITE3_LIBS="-lsqlite3"
+else
+  as_fn_error $? "sqlite3 library not found" "$LINENO" 5
 
-    SQLITE3_CFLAGS=""
-    SQLITE3_LDFLAGS=""
-    SQLITE3_LIBS=""
-    SQLITE3_VERSION=""
+fi
 
-    if test "x$WANT_SQLITE3" = "xyes"; then
 
-        ac_sqlite3_header="sqlite3.h"
+    for ac_header in sqlite3.h
+do :
+  ac_fn_c_check_header_mongrel "$LINENO" "sqlite3.h" "ac_cv_header_sqlite3_h" "$ac_includes_default"
+if test "x$ac_cv_header_sqlite3_h" = xyes; then :
+  cat >>confdefs.h <<_ACEOF
+#define HAVE_SQLITE3_H 1
+_ACEOF
 
-        sqlite3_version_req="3.0.0"
-        sqlite3_version_req_shorten=`expr $sqlite3_version_req : '\([0-9]*\.[0-9]*\)'`
-        sqlite3_version_req_major=`expr $sqlite3_version_req : '\([0-9]*\)'`
-        sqlite3_version_req_minor=`expr $sqlite3_version_req : '[0-9]*\.\([0-9]*\)'`
-        sqlite3_version_req_micro=`expr $sqlite3_version_req : '[0-9]*\.[0-9]*\.\([0-9]*\)'`
-        if test "x$sqlite3_version_req_micro" = "x" ; then
-            sqlite3_version_req_micro="0"
-        fi
+else
+  as_fn_error $? "sqlite3 headers not found" "$LINENO" 5
 
-        sqlite3_version_req_number=`expr $sqlite3_version_req_major \* 1000000 \
-                                   \+ $sqlite3_version_req_minor \* 1000 \
-                                   \+ $sqlite3_version_req_micro`
+fi
 
-        { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: checking for SQLite3 library >= $sqlite3_version_req" >&5
-$as_echo_n "checking for SQLite3 library >= $sqlite3_version_req... " >&6; }
+done
 
-        if test "$ac_sqlite3_path" != ""; then
-            ac_sqlite3_ldflags="-L$ac_sqlite3_path/lib"
-            ac_sqlite3_cppflags="-I$ac_sqlite3_path/include"
-        else
-            for ac_sqlite3_path_tmp in /usr /usr/local /opt ; do
-                if test -f "$ac_sqlite3_path_tmp/include/$ac_sqlite3_header" \
-                    && test -r "$ac_sqlite3_path_tmp/include/$ac_sqlite3_header"; then
-                    ac_sqlite3_path=$ac_sqlite3_path_tmp
-                    ac_sqlite3_cppflags="-I$ac_sqlite3_path_tmp/include"
-                    ac_sqlite3_ldflags="-L$ac_sqlite3_path_tmp/lib"
-                    break;
-                fi
-            done
-        fi
 
-        ac_sqlite3_ldflags="$ac_sqlite3_ldflags"
-	ac_sqlite3_libs="-lsqlite3"
+    sqlite3_version_req="3.0.0"
+    sqlite3_version_req_shorten=`expr $sqlite3_version_req : '\([0-9]*\.[0-9]*\)'`
+    sqlite3_version_req_major=`expr $sqlite3_version_req : '\([0-9]*\)'`
+    sqlite3_version_req_minor=`expr $sqlite3_version_req : '[0-9]*\.\([0-9]*\)'`
+    sqlite3_version_req_micro=`expr $sqlite3_version_req : '[0-9]*\.[0-9]*\.\([0-9]*\)'`
+    if test "x$sqlite3_version_req_micro" = "x" ; then
+        sqlite3_version_req_micro="0"
+    fi
 
-        saved_CPPFLAGS="$CPPFLAGS"
-        CPPFLAGS="$CPPFLAGS $ac_sqlite3_cppflags"
+    sqlite3_version_req_number=`expr $sqlite3_version_req_major \* 1000000 \
+                               \+ $sqlite3_version_req_minor \* 1000 \
+                               \+ $sqlite3_version_req_micro`
 
-        ac_ext=cpp
+    { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: checking for SQLite3 library >= $sqlite3_version_req" >&5
+$as_echo_n "checking for SQLite3 library >= $sqlite3_version_req... " >&6; }
+    ac_ext=cpp
 ac_cpp='$CXXCPP $CPPFLAGS'
 ac_compile='$CXX -c $CXXFLAGS $CPPFLAGS conftest.$ac_ext >&5'
 ac_link='$CXX -o conftest$ac_exeext $CXXFLAGS $CPPFLAGS $LDFLAGS conftest.$ac_ext $LIBS >&5'
 ac_compiler_gnu=$ac_cv_cxx_compiler_gnu
 
-        cat confdefs.h - <<_ACEOF >conftest.$ac_ext
+    cat confdefs.h - <<_ACEOF >conftest.$ac_ext
 /* end confdefs.h.  */
 
-            #include <sqlite3.h>
+        #include <sqlite3.h>
 int
 main ()
 {
 
-#if (SQLITE_VERSION_NUMBER >= $sqlite3_version_req_number)
-// Everything is okay
-#else
-#  error SQLite version is too old
-#endif
+            #if (SQLITE_VERSION_NUMBER >= $sqlite3_version_req_number)
+            // Everything is okay
+            #else
+            #  error SQLite version is too old
+            #endif
 
 
   ;
@@ -7950,74 +8016,39 @@ main ()
 _ACEOF
 if ac_fn_cxx_try_compile "$LINENO"; then :
 
-            { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: result: yes" >&5
+        { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: result: yes" >&5
 $as_echo "yes" >&6; }
-            success="yes"
 
 else
 
-            { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: result: not found" >&5
+        { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: result: not found" >&5
 $as_echo "not found" >&6; }
-            succees="no"
+        as_fn_error $? "SQLite3 version >= $sqlite3_version_req is required" "$LINENO" 5
 
 
 fi
 rm -f core conftest.err conftest.$ac_objext conftest.$ac_ext
-        ac_ext=c
+    ac_ext=c
 ac_cpp='$CPP $CPPFLAGS'
 ac_compile='$CC -c $CFLAGS $CPPFLAGS conftest.$ac_ext >&5'
 ac_link='$CC -o conftest$ac_exeext $CFLAGS $CPPFLAGS $LDFLAGS conftest.$ac_ext $LIBS >&5'
 ac_compiler_gnu=$ac_cv_c_compiler_gnu
 
 
-        CPPFLAGS="$saved_CPPFLAGS"
-
-        if test "$success" = "yes"; then
-
-            SQLITE3_CFLAGS="$ac_sqlite3_cppflags"
-            SQLITE3_LDFLAGS="$ac_sqlite3_ldflags"
-            SQLITE3_LIBS="$ac_sqlite3_libs"
-
-            ac_sqlite3_header_path="$ac_sqlite3_path/include/$ac_sqlite3_header"
-
-                        if test "x$ac_sqlite3_header_path" != "x"; then
-                ac_sqlite3_version=`cat $ac_sqlite3_header_path \
-                    | grep '#define.*SQLITE_VERSION.*\"' | sed -e 's/.* "//' \
-                        | sed -e 's/"//'`
-                if test $ac_sqlite3_version != ""; then
-                    SQLITE3_VERSION=$ac_sqlite3_version
-                else
-                    { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: WARNING: Can not find SQLITE_VERSION macro in sqlite3.h header to retrieve SQLite version!" >&5
-$as_echo "$as_me: WARNING: Can not find SQLITE_VERSION macro in sqlite3.h header to retrieve SQLite version!" >&2;}
-                fi
-            fi
-
-
-$as_echo "#define HAVE_SQLITE3 /**/" >>confdefs.h
-
-        fi
-    fi
-
+    ac_fn_c_check_func "$LINENO" "sqlite3_stmt_readonly" "ac_cv_func_sqlite3_stmt_readonly"
+if test "x$ac_cv_func_sqlite3_stmt_readonly" = xyes; then :
 
+$as_echo "#define HAVE_SQLITE3_STMT_READONLY /**/" >>confdefs.h
 
 
+fi
 
 
 
-if test x"$SQLITE3_LIBS" = x""; then
-    as_fn_error $? "The sqlite3 developement package must be installed." "$LINENO" 5
-fi
 
-OLD_LIBS="$LIBS"
-LIBS="$LIBS ${SQLITE3_LIBS}"
-ac_fn_c_check_func "$LINENO" "sqlite3_stmt_readonly" "ac_cv_func_sqlite3_stmt_readonly"
-if test "x$ac_cv_func_sqlite3_stmt_readonly" = xyes; then :
 
-$as_echo "#define HAVE_SQLITE3_STMT_READONLY /**/" >>confdefs.h
 
-fi
 
-LIBS="$OLD_LIBS"
 
 case "$host_os" in
     *)
diff --git a/src/Makefile.in b/src/Makefile.in
index 73e9dc77..08fc1dee 100644
--- a/src/Makefile.in
+++ b/src/Makefile.in
@@ -125,12 +125,12 @@ noinst_PROGRAMS = bin2c$(EXEEXT) ptimec$(EXEEXT) lnav-test$(EXEEXT)
 
 subdir = src
 ACLOCAL_M4 = $(top_srcdir)/aclocal.m4
-am__aclocal_m4_deps = $(top_srcdir)/m4/ax_sqlite3.m4 \
-	$(top_srcdir)/m4/ax_with_curses.m4 \
+am__aclocal_m4_deps = $(top_srcdir)/m4/ax_with_curses.m4 \
 	$(top_srcdir)/m4/lnav_common.m4 \
 	$(top_srcdir)/m4/lnav_with_jemalloc.m4 \
 	$(top_srcdir)/m4/lnav_with_pcre.m4 \
 	$(top_srcdir)/m4/lnav_with_readline.m4 \
+	$(top_srcdir)/m4/lnav_with_sqlite3.m4 \
 	$(top_srcdir)/m4/lnav_with_yajl.m4 $(top_srcdir)/configure.ac
 am__configure_deps = $(am__aclocal_m4_deps) $(CONFIGURE_DEPENDENCIES) \
 	$(ACLOCAL_M4)
@@ -391,7 +391,6 @@ SQLITE3_CFLAGS = @SQLITE3_CFLAGS@
 SQLITE3_CMD = @SQLITE3_CMD@
 SQLITE3_LDFLAGS = @SQLITE3_LDFLAGS@
 SQLITE3_LIBS = @SQLITE3_LIBS@
-SQLITE3_VERSION = @SQLITE3_VERSION@
 STATIC_LDFLAGS = @STATIC_LDFLAGS@
 STRIP = @STRIP@
 VERSION = @VERSION@
diff --git a/src/config.h.in b/src/config.h.in
index 1d92585c..5010ea21 100644
--- a/src/config.h.in
+++ b/src/config.h.in
@@ -76,8 +76,8 @@
 /* Define to 1 if you have the <readline/readline.h> header file. */
 #undef HAVE_READLINE_READLINE_H
 
-/* sqlite3 */
-#undef HAVE_SQLITE3
+/* Define to 1 if you have the <sqlite3.h> header file. */
+#undef HAVE_SQLITE3_H
 
 /* Have the sqlite3_stmt_readonly function */
 #undef HAVE_SQLITE3_STMT_READONLY
diff --git a/test/Makefile.in b/test/Makefile.in
index 141c4295..71b9ae71 100644
--- a/test/Makefile.in
+++ b/test/Makefile.in
@@ -119,12 +119,12 @@ TESTS = test_ansi_scrubber$(EXEEXT) test_auto_fd$(EXEEXT) \
 	test_data_parser.sh test_yajlpp$(EXEEXT)
 subdir = test
 ACLOCAL_M4 = $(top_srcdir)/aclocal.m4
-am__aclocal_m4_deps = $(top_srcdir)/m4/ax_sqlite3.m4 \
-	$(top_srcdir)/m4/ax_with_curses.m4 \
+am__aclocal_m4_deps = $(top_srcdir)/m4/ax_with_curses.m4 \
 	$(top_srcdir)/m4/lnav_common.m4 \
 	$(top_srcdir)/m4/lnav_with_jemalloc.m4 \
 	$(top_srcdir)/m4/lnav_with_pcre.m4 \
 	$(top_srcdir)/m4/lnav_with_readline.m4 \
+	$(top_srcdir)/m4/lnav_with_sqlite3.m4 \
 	$(top_srcdir)/m4/lnav_with_yajl.m4 $(top_srcdir)/configure.ac
 am__configure_deps = $(am__aclocal_m4_deps) $(CONFIGURE_DEPENDENCIES) \
 	$(ACLOCAL_M4)
@@ -602,7 +602,6 @@ SQLITE3_CFLAGS = @SQLITE3_CFLAGS@
 SQLITE3_CMD = @SQLITE3_CMD@
 SQLITE3_LDFLAGS = @SQLITE3_LDFLAGS@
 SQLITE3_LIBS = @SQLITE3_LIBS@
-SQLITE3_VERSION = @SQLITE3_VERSION@
 STATIC_LDFLAGS = @STATIC_LDFLAGS@
 STRIP = @STRIP@
 VERSION = @VERSION@