diff --git a/configure/os/CONFIG.Common.linuxCommon b/configure/os/CONFIG.Common.linuxCommon
index fb331e9d5..6d28b8be2 100644
--- a/configure/os/CONFIG.Common.linuxCommon
+++ b/configure/os/CONFIG.Common.linuxCommon
@@ -33,8 +33,12 @@ SHRLIBDIR_LDFLAGS += $(SHRLIB_DEPLIB_DIRS:%=-Wl,-rpath,%)
 # Set runtime path for products
 PRODDIR_LDFLAGS += $(PROD_DEPLIB_DIRS:%=-Wl,-rpath,%)
 
-#  Definitions used when COMMANDLINE_LIBRARY is READLINE
-LDLIBS_READLINE = -lreadline -lncurses
+# Link libraries controlled by COMMANDLINE_LIBRARY
+# The newest Linux versions only need readline, older ones need both
+# readline and ncurses, and the oldest need readline and curses
+LDLIBS_READLINE = -lreadline
+LDLIBS_READLINE_NCURSES = -lreadline -lncurses
+LDLIBS_READLINE_CURSES = -lreadline -lcurses
 
 #--------------------------------------------------
 # Allow site overrides
diff --git a/configure/os/CONFIG_SITE.Common.linux-x86 b/configure/os/CONFIG_SITE.Common.linux-x86
index a963c5c83..2966f5f4f 100644
--- a/configure/os/CONFIG_SITE.Common.linux-x86
+++ b/configure/os/CONFIG_SITE.Common.linux-x86
@@ -17,7 +17,13 @@
 # c) Add the runtime path to /etc/ld.so.conf and run ldconfig
 #    to inform the system of the shared library location.
 
-# If readline is not installed comment the following line
-# to omit command-line editing and history support
-COMMANDLINE_LIBRARY = READLINE
+# Depending on your version of Linux you'll want one of the following
+# lines to enable command-line editing and history support.  If you're
+# not sure which, start with the top one and work downwards until the
+# build doesn't fail to link the readline library.  If none of them
+# work, comment them all out.
+#COMMANDLINE_LIBRARY = READLINE
+COMMANDLINE_LIBRARY = READLINE_NCURSES
+#COMMANDLINE_LIBRARY = READLINE_CURSES
+
 OP_SYS_CFLAGS += -g
diff --git a/configure/os/CONFIG_SITE.Common.linux-x86_64 b/configure/os/CONFIG_SITE.Common.linux-x86_64
index d4ba6a94a..c0ad539cd 100644
--- a/configure/os/CONFIG_SITE.Common.linux-x86_64
+++ b/configure/os/CONFIG_SITE.Common.linux-x86_64
@@ -17,7 +17,13 @@
 # c) Add the runtime path to /etc/ld.so.conf and run ldconfig
 #    to inform the system of the shared library location.
 
-# If readline is not installed comment the following line
-# to omit command-line editing and history support
+# Depending on your version of Linux you'll want one of the following
+# lines to enable command-line editing and history support.  If you're
+# not sure which, start with the top one and work downwards until the
+# build doesn't fail to link the readline library.  If none of them
+# work, comment them all out.
 COMMANDLINE_LIBRARY = READLINE
+#COMMANDLINE_LIBRARY = READLINE_NCURSES
+#COMMANDLINE_LIBRARY = READLINE_CURSES
+
 OP_SYS_CFLAGS += -g