diff --git a/configure b/configure
index 82323f5ee57..43f342e6fc2 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -15690,7 +15690,9 @@ fi
 
 # first curses header check
 ac_save_cppflags="$CPPFLAGS"
-CPPFLAGS="$CPPFLAGS -I/usr/include/ncursesw"
+if test "$cross_compiling" = no; then
+  CPPFLAGS="$CPPFLAGS -I/usr/include/ncursesw"
+fi
 
 for ac_header in curses.h ncurses.h
 do :
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 4ab1892928c..af540923ac3 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -4885,7 +4885,9 @@ fi
 
 # first curses header check
 ac_save_cppflags="$CPPFLAGS"
-CPPFLAGS="$CPPFLAGS -I/usr/include/ncursesw"
+if test "$cross_compiling" = no; then
+  CPPFLAGS="$CPPFLAGS -I/usr/include/ncursesw"
+fi
 
 AC_CHECK_HEADERS(curses.h ncurses.h)
 
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 116f06fb224..7cb1141dac7 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -1349,7 +1349,8 @@ class db_found(Exception): pass
         panel_library = 'panel'
         if curses_library == 'ncursesw':
             curses_defines.append(('HAVE_NCURSESW', '1'))
-            curses_includes.append('/usr/include/ncursesw')
+            if not cross_compiling:
+                curses_includes.append('/usr/include/ncursesw')
             # Bug 1464056: If _curses.so links with ncursesw,
             # _curses_panel.so must link with panelw.
             panel_library = 'panelw'