diff --git a/libpam/Makefile.am b/libpam/Makefile.am
index 875031e..9f27c16 100644
--- a/libpam/Makefile.am
+++ b/libpam/Makefile.am
@@ -3,7 +3,8 @@
 #
 
 AM_CFLAGS = -DDEFAULT_MODULE_PATH=\"$(SECUREDIR)/\" -DLIBPAM_COMPILE \
-	-I$(srcdir)/include $(LIBPRELUDE_CFLAGS) -DPAM_VERSION=\"$(VERSION)\"
+	-I$(srcdir)/include $(LIBPRELUDE_CFLAGS) \
+	-DPAM_VERSION=\"$(VERSION)\" @ECONF_CFLAGS@
 if HAVE_LIBSELINUX
   AM_CFLAGS += -D"WITH_SELINUX"
 endif
@@ -21,7 +22,7 @@ noinst_HEADERS = pam_prelude.h pam_private.h pam_tokens.h \
 		pam_modutil_private.h
 
 libpam_la_LDFLAGS = -no-undefined -version-info 84:2:84
-libpam_la_LIBADD = @LIBAUDIT@ $(LIBPRELUDE_LIBS) @LIBDL@
+libpam_la_LIBADD = @LIBAUDIT@ $(LIBPRELUDE_LIBS) @LIBDL@ @ECONF_LIBS@
 
 if HAVE_VERSIONING
   libpam_la_LDFLAGS += -Wl,--version-script=$(srcdir)/libpam.map
diff --git a/libpam/pam_modutil_searchkey.c b/libpam/pam_modutil_searchkey.c
index 338b44f..8e4061f 100644
--- a/libpam/pam_modutil_searchkey.c
+++ b/libpam/pam_modutil_searchkey.c
@@ -13,9 +13,34 @@
 #include <string.h>
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <ctype.h>
+#ifdef USE_ECONF
+#include <libeconf.h>
+#endif
 
 #define BUF_SIZE 8192
 
+#ifdef USE_ECONF
+#define LOGIN_DEFS "/etc/login.defs"
+
+static char *
+econf_search_key (const char *name, const char *suffix, const char *key)
+{
+  econf_file *key_file = NULL;
+  char *val;
+
+  if (econf_readDirs (&key_file, "/usr/etc", "/etc", name, suffix, " \t", "#"))
+    return NULL;
+
+  if (econf_getStringValue (key_file, NULL, key, &val))
+    return NULL;
+
+  econf_free (key_file);
+
+  return val;
+}
+
+#endif
+
 /* lookup a value for key in login.defs file or similar key value format */
 char *
 pam_modutil_search_key(pam_handle_t *pamh UNUSED,
@@ -27,6 +52,11 @@ pam_modutil_search_key(pam_handle_t *pamh UNUSED,
 	size_t buflen = 0;
 	char *retval = NULL;
 
+#ifdef USE_ECONF
+	if (strcmp (file_name, LOGIN_DEFS) == 0)
+	  return econf_search_key ("login", ".defs", key);
+#endif
+
 	fp = fopen(file_name, "r");
 	if (NULL == fp)
 		return NULL;