--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -468,7 +468,6 @@
 fi
 
 if test $have_libpcap != yes; then
-  AC_CONFIG_SUBDIRS(libpcap)
   if test "${LIBPCAP_INC+set}" = "set"; then
     CPPFLAGS="$CPPFLAGS -I$LIBPCAP_INC"
   else
@@ -611,7 +610,6 @@
   fi
 
   if test $have_libz != yes; then
-    AC_CONFIG_SUBDIRS(libz)
     # TODO: This doesn't work because libssh2's configure script is looking for
     # already-built libs.  Giving up for now: build libz first or install
     # headers/libs on your own if you want compression support for SSH.
@@ -697,7 +695,6 @@
   # If we still don't have it, we use our own
   if test $have_libssh2 != yes; then
     have_libssh2=yes
-    AC_CONFIG_SUBDIRS(libssh2)
     CPPFLAGS="-I\$(top_srcdir)/$LIBSSH2DIR/include $CPPFLAGS"
     LIBSSH2_LIBS="$LIBSSH2DIR/lib/libssh2.a"
     LIBSSH2_BUILD="build-libssh2"