diff --git a/configure b/configure
index c61546680ce..de4096125d6 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -14452,34 +14452,73 @@ $as_echo "no" >&6; }
 fi
 rm -f core conftest.err conftest.$ac_objext conftest.$ac_ext
 
+{ $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: checking for device files" >&5
+$as_echo "$as_me: checking for device files" >&6;}
+
+if test "x$cross_compiling" = xyes; then
+  if test "${ac_cv_file__dev_ptmx+set}" != set; then
+    { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: checking for /dev/ptmx" >&5
+$as_echo_n "checking for /dev/ptmx... " >&6; }
+    { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: result: not set" >&5
+$as_echo "not set" >&6; }
+    as_fn_error $? "set ac_cv_file__dev_ptmx to yes/no in your CONFIG_SITE file when cross compiling" "$LINENO" 5
+  fi
+  if test "${ac_cv_file__dev_ptc+set}" != set; then
+    { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: checking for /dev/ptc" >&5
+$as_echo_n "checking for /dev/ptc... " >&6; }
+    { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: result: not set" >&5
+$as_echo "not set" >&6; }
+    as_fn_error $? "set ac_cv_file__dev_ptc to yes/no in your CONFIG_SITE file when cross compiling" "$LINENO" 5
+  fi
+fi
+
 { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: checking for /dev/ptmx" >&5
 $as_echo_n "checking for /dev/ptmx... " >&6; }
+if ${ac_cv_file__dev_ptmx+:} false; then :
+  $as_echo_n "(cached) " >&6
+else
+  test "$cross_compiling" = yes &&
+  as_fn_error $? "cannot check for file existence when cross compiling" "$LINENO" 5
+if test -r "/dev/ptmx"; then
+  ac_cv_file__dev_ptmx=yes
+else
+  ac_cv_file__dev_ptmx=no
+fi
+fi
+{ $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: result: $ac_cv_file__dev_ptmx" >&5
+$as_echo "$ac_cv_file__dev_ptmx" >&6; }
+if test "x$ac_cv_file__dev_ptmx" = xyes; then :
 
-if test -r /dev/ptmx
-then
-  { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: result: yes" >&5
-$as_echo "yes" >&6; }
+fi
+
+if test "x$ac_cv_file__dev_ptmx" = xyes; then
 
 $as_echo "#define HAVE_DEV_PTMX 1" >>confdefs.h
 
-else
-  { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: result: no" >&5
-$as_echo "no" >&6; }
 fi
-
 { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: checking for /dev/ptc" >&5
 $as_echo_n "checking for /dev/ptc... " >&6; }
+if ${ac_cv_file__dev_ptc+:} false; then :
+  $as_echo_n "(cached) " >&6
+else
+  test "$cross_compiling" = yes &&
+  as_fn_error $? "cannot check for file existence when cross compiling" "$LINENO" 5
+if test -r "/dev/ptc"; then
+  ac_cv_file__dev_ptc=yes
+else
+  ac_cv_file__dev_ptc=no
+fi
+fi
+{ $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: result: $ac_cv_file__dev_ptc" >&5
+$as_echo "$ac_cv_file__dev_ptc" >&6; }
+if test "x$ac_cv_file__dev_ptc" = xyes; then :
 
-if test -r /dev/ptc
-then
-  { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: result: yes" >&5
-$as_echo "yes" >&6; }
+fi
+
+if test "x$ac_cv_file__dev_ptc" = xyes; then
 
 $as_echo "#define HAVE_DEV_PTC 1" >>confdefs.h
 
-else
-  { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: result: no" >&5
-$as_echo "no" >&6; }
 fi
 
 if test "$have_long_long" = yes
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 00ed902d540..c0ed0241744 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -4212,26 +4212,31 @@ AC_COMPILE_IFELSE([AC_LANG_PROGRAM([[#include <curses.h>]], [[void *x=resizeterm
   [AC_MSG_RESULT(no)]
 )
 
-AC_MSG_CHECKING(for /dev/ptmx)
+AC_MSG_NOTICE([checking for device files])
 
-if test -r /dev/ptmx
-then
-  AC_MSG_RESULT(yes)
-  AC_DEFINE(HAVE_DEV_PTMX, 1,
-  [Define if we have /dev/ptmx.])
-else
-  AC_MSG_RESULT(no)
+dnl NOTE: Inform user how to proceed with files when cross compiling.
+if test "x$cross_compiling" = xyes; then
+  if test "${ac_cv_file__dev_ptmx+set}" != set; then
+    AC_MSG_CHECKING([for /dev/ptmx])
+    AC_MSG_RESULT([not set])
+    AC_MSG_ERROR([set ac_cv_file__dev_ptmx to yes/no in your CONFIG_SITE file when cross compiling])
+  fi
+  if test "${ac_cv_file__dev_ptc+set}" != set; then
+    AC_MSG_CHECKING([for /dev/ptc])
+    AC_MSG_RESULT([not set])
+    AC_MSG_ERROR([set ac_cv_file__dev_ptc to yes/no in your CONFIG_SITE file when cross compiling])
+  fi
 fi
 
-AC_MSG_CHECKING(for /dev/ptc)
-
-if test -r /dev/ptc
-then
-  AC_MSG_RESULT(yes)
+AC_CHECK_FILE(/dev/ptmx, [], [])
+if test "x$ac_cv_file__dev_ptmx" = xyes; then
+  AC_DEFINE(HAVE_DEV_PTMX, 1,
+  [Define to 1 if you have the /dev/ptmx device file.])
+fi
+AC_CHECK_FILE(/dev/ptc, [], [])
+if test "x$ac_cv_file__dev_ptc" = xyes; then
   AC_DEFINE(HAVE_DEV_PTC, 1,
-  [Define if we have /dev/ptc.])
-else
-  AC_MSG_RESULT(no)
+  [Define to 1 if you have the /dev/ptc device file.])
 fi
 
 if test "$have_long_long" = yes
diff --git a/pyconfig.h.in b/pyconfig.h.in
index aaa85099472..3ca3a4f03c8 100644
--- a/pyconfig.h.in
+++ b/pyconfig.h.in
@@ -168,10 +168,10 @@
 /* Define to 1 if you have the device macros. */
 #undef HAVE_DEVICE_MACROS
 
-/* Define if we have /dev/ptc. */
+/* Define to 1 if you have the /dev/ptc device file. */
 #undef HAVE_DEV_PTC
 
-/* Define if we have /dev/ptmx. */
+/* Define to 1 if you have the /dev/ptmx device file. */
 #undef HAVE_DEV_PTMX
 
 /* Define to 1 if you have the <direct.h> header file. */