--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -453,10 +453,6 @@
 
                 incdir=-I/usr/include/libnl3
                 libnldir=
-                if test x$withval != x ; then
-                  libnldir=-L${withval}/lib/.libs
-                  incdir=-I${withval}/include
-                fi
 
 		#
 		# Try libnl 3.x first.
@@ -471,7 +467,7 @@
 			AC_DEFINE(HAVE_LIBNL_3_x,1,[if libnl exists and is version 3.x])
 			AC_DEFINE(HAVE_LIBNL_NLE,1,[libnl has NLE_FAILURE])
 			AC_DEFINE(HAVE_LIBNL_SOCKETS,1,[libnl has new-style socket api])
-			V_INCLS="$V_INCLS ${incdir}"
+			V_INCLS="${incdir} $V_INCLS"
 			have_any_nl="yes"
 		],[], ${incdir} ${libnldir} -lnl-genl-3 -lnl-3 )
 
