diff --git a/gstlal/configure.ac b/gstlal/configure.ac
index f3ace162b479ffa090686cc8f9b26122c30e7b27..4602306216d9d6402e443e278ce71ac7d8dd0c8f 100644
--- a/gstlal/configure.ac
+++ b/gstlal/configure.ac
@@ -379,10 +379,7 @@ AC_SUBST([ORC_LIBS])
#
-AX_CHECK_ZLIB()
-if test x$HAVE_LIBZ = "xno" ; then
- AC_MSG_FAILURE([zlib is required])
-fi
+AX_CHECK_ZLIB([],AC_MSG_FAILURE([zlib is required]))
#
diff --git a/gstlal/gnuscripts/ax_check_zlib.m4 b/gstlal/gnuscripts/ax_check_zlib.m4
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..1a168430485fe1e8cf9e7c500ee95307df54fac1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/gstlal/gnuscripts/ax_check_zlib.m4
@@ -0,0 +1,141 @@
+# ===========================================================================
+# https://www.gnu.org/software/autoconf-archive/ax_check_zlib.html
+# ===========================================================================
+#
+# SYNOPSIS
+#
+# AX_CHECK_ZLIB([action-if-found], [action-if-not-found])
+#
+# DESCRIPTION
+#
+# This macro searches for an installed zlib library. If nothing was
+# specified when calling configure, it searches first in /usr/local and
+# then in /usr, /opt/local and /sw. If the --with-zlib=DIR is specified,
+# it will try to find it in DIR/include/zlib.h and DIR/lib/libz.a. If
+# --without-zlib is specified, the library is not searched at all.
+#
+# If either the header file (zlib.h) or the library (libz) is not found,
+# shell commands 'action-if-not-found' is run. If 'action-if-not-found' is
+# not specified, the configuration exits on error, asking for a valid zlib
+# installation directory or --without-zlib.
+#
+# If both header file and library are found, shell commands
+# 'action-if-found' is run. If 'action-if-found' is not specified, the
+# default action appends '-I${ZLIB_HOME}/include' to CPFLAGS, appends
+# '-L$ZLIB_HOME}/lib' to LDFLAGS, prepends '-lz' to LIBS, and calls
+# AC_DEFINE(HAVE_LIBZ). You should use autoheader to include a definition
+# for this symbol in a config.h file. Sample usage in a C/C++ source is as
+# follows:
+#
+# #ifdef HAVE_LIBZ
+# #include <zlib.h>
+# #endif /* HAVE_LIBZ */
+#
+# LICENSE
+#
+# Copyright (c) 2008 Loic Dachary <loic@senga.org>
+# Copyright (c) 2010 Bastien Chevreux <bach@chevreux.org>
+#
+# This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
+# under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the
+# Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or (at your
+# option) any later version.
+#
+# This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but
+# WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+# MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU General
+# Public License for more details.
+#
+# You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along
+# with this program. If not, see <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+#
+# As a special exception, the respective Autoconf Macro's copyright owner
+# gives unlimited permission to copy, distribute and modify the configure
+# scripts that are the output of Autoconf when processing the Macro. You
+# need not follow the terms of the GNU General Public License when using
+# or distributing such scripts, even though portions of the text of the
+# Macro appear in them. The GNU General Public License (GPL) does govern
+# all other use of the material that constitutes the Autoconf Macro.
+#
+# This special exception to the GPL applies to versions of the Autoconf
+# Macro released by the Autoconf Archive. When you make and distribute a
+# modified version of the Autoconf Macro, you may extend this special
+# exception to the GPL to apply to your modified version as well.
+
+#serial 16
+
+AU_ALIAS([CHECK_ZLIB], [AX_CHECK_ZLIB])
+AC_DEFUN([AX_CHECK_ZLIB],
+#
+# Handle user hints
+#
+[AC_MSG_CHECKING(if zlib is wanted)
+zlib_places="/usr/local /usr /opt/local /sw"
+AC_ARG_WITH([zlib],
+[ --with-zlib=DIR root directory path of zlib installation @<:@defaults to
+ /usr/local or /usr if not found in /usr/local@:>@
+ --without-zlib to disable zlib usage completely],
+[if test "$withval" != no ; then
+ AC_MSG_RESULT(yes)
+ if test -d "$withval"
+ then
+ zlib_places="$withval $zlib_places"
+ else
+ AC_MSG_WARN([Sorry, $withval does not exist, checking usual places])
+ fi
+else
+ zlib_places=
+ AC_MSG_RESULT(no)
+fi],
+[AC_MSG_RESULT(yes)])
+
+#
+# Locate zlib, if wanted
+#
+if test -n "${zlib_places}"
+then
+ # check the user supplied or any other more or less 'standard' place:
+ # Most UNIX systems : /usr/local and /usr
+ # MacPorts / Fink on OSX : /opt/local respectively /sw
+ for ZLIB_HOME in ${zlib_places} ; do
+ if test -f "${ZLIB_HOME}/include/zlib.h"; then break; fi
+ ZLIB_HOME=""
+ done
+
+ ZLIB_OLD_LDFLAGS=$LDFLAGS
+ ZLIB_OLD_CPPFLAGS=$CPPFLAGS
+ if test -n "${ZLIB_HOME}"; then
+ LDFLAGS="$LDFLAGS -L${ZLIB_HOME}/lib"
+ CPPFLAGS="$CPPFLAGS -I${ZLIB_HOME}/include"
+ fi
+ AC_LANG_PUSH([C])
+ AC_CHECK_LIB([z], [inflateEnd], [zlib_cv_libz=yes], [zlib_cv_libz=no])
+ AC_CHECK_HEADER([zlib.h], [zlib_cv_zlib_h=yes], [zlib_cv_zlib_h=no])
+ AC_LANG_POP([C])
+ if test "$zlib_cv_libz" = "yes" && test "$zlib_cv_zlib_h" = "yes"
+ then
+ #
+ # If both library and header were found, action-if-found
+ #
+ m4_ifblank([$1],[
+ CPPFLAGS="$CPPFLAGS -I${ZLIB_HOME}/include"
+ LDFLAGS="$LDFLAGS -L${ZLIB_HOME}/lib"
+ LIBS="-lz $LIBS"
+ AC_DEFINE([HAVE_LIBZ], [1],
+ [Define to 1 if you have `z' library (-lz)])
+ ],[
+ # Restore variables
+ LDFLAGS="$ZLIB_OLD_LDFLAGS"
+ CPPFLAGS="$ZLIB_OLD_CPPFLAGS"
+ $1
+ ])
+ else
+ #
+ # If either header or library was not found, action-if-not-found
+ #
+ m4_default([$2],[
+ AC_MSG_ERROR([either specify a valid zlib installation with --with-zlib=DIR or disable zlib usage with --without-zlib])
+ ])
+ fi
+fi
+])