diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 1db0c26..f69b12c 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -141,6 +141,10 @@ FP_CHECK_CONST([O_BINARY], [#include <fcntl.h>], [0])
 # header needs to be included as iconv_open is #define'd to something
 # else. We therefore use our own FP_SEARCH_LIBS_PROTO, which allows us
 # to give prototype text.
+#
+# Windows note: newer mingw installs include libiconv and libcharset
+# Continue to ignore iconv/libcharset support on Windows machines
+if test "$WINDOWS" != "YES"; then
 FP_SEARCH_LIBS_PROTO(iconv,
                      [
 #include <stddef.h>
@@ -156,7 +160,6 @@ FP_SEARCH_LIBS_PROTO(iconv,
                       then
                           AC_MSG_ERROR([iconv is required on non-Windows platforms])
                       fi])
-
 # If possible, we use libcharset instead of nl_langinfo(CODESET) to
 # determine the current locale's character encoding.
 FP_SEARCH_LIBS_PROTO(
@@ -166,6 +169,10 @@ FP_SEARCH_LIBS_PROTO(
     [charset],
     [AC_DEFINE([HAVE_LIBCHARSET], [1], [Define to 1 if you have libcharset.])
      EXTRA_LIBS="$EXTRA_LIBS $ac_lib"])
+else
+echo "skipped checking for iconv and libcharset on Windows: GHC doesn't support using iconv on Windows currently"
+fi
+
 
 # Hack - md5.h needs HsFFI.h.  Is there a better way to do this?
 CFLAGS="-I../../includes $CFLAGS"