diff --git a/ase/configure b/ase/configure
index 8634fc53..00e3f7ed 100755
--- a/ase/configure
+++ b/ase/configure
@@ -26644,14 +26644,17 @@ else
   enable_wchar_is=yes
 fi
 
+ "${ac_cv_sizeof_wchar_t}" = "0"  && enable_wchar_is=no
 if test "$enable_wchar_is" = "yes"
 then
+	CHAR_TYPE=wchar_t
 
 cat >>confdefs.h <<\_ACEOF
 #define ASE_CHAR_IS_WCHAR
 _ACEOF
 
 else
+	CHAR_TYPE=char
 
 cat >>confdefs.h <<\_ACEOF
 #define ASE_CHAR_IS_MCHAR
@@ -28351,6 +28354,7 @@ echo "  Installation directory: ${prefix}"
 echo "  C compiler: ${CC} ${CFLAGS}"
 echo "  C++ compiler: ${CXX} ${CXXFLAGS}"
 echo "  C++ support: ${enable_cxx_is}"
+echo "  Character type: ${CHAR_TYPE}"
 echo "  Math library: ${LIBM}"
 echo "-------------------------------------------------------------------------"
 
diff --git a/ase/configure.ac b/ase/configure.ac
index 22fdfb7c..257a4ad1 100644
--- a/ase/configure.ac
+++ b/ase/configure.ac
@@ -123,10 +123,13 @@ AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED(ASE_PKGAUTHOR,"${PACKAGE_BUGREPORT}", [author's email address
 AC_ARG_ENABLE([wchar], [AC_HELP_STRING([--enable-wchar],
 	[use wchar_t a default charater type when enabled (default. yes)])],
 	enable_wchar_is=$enableval,enable_wchar_is=yes)
+[ "${ac_cv_sizeof_wchar_t}" = "0" ] && enable_wchar_is=no
 if test "$enable_wchar_is" = "yes"
 then
+	CHAR_TYPE=wchar_t
 	AC_DEFINE([ASE_CHAR_IS_WCHAR],[],[char is wchar])
 else
+	CHAR_TYPE=char
 	AC_DEFINE([ASE_CHAR_IS_MCHAR],[],[char is mchar])
 fi
 
@@ -298,6 +301,7 @@ echo "  Installation directory: ${prefix}"
 echo "  C compiler: ${CC} ${CFLAGS}"
 echo "  C++ compiler: ${CXX} ${CXXFLAGS}"
 echo "  C++ support: ${enable_cxx_is}"
+echo "  Character type: ${CHAR_TYPE}" 
 echo "  Math library: ${LIBM}"
 echo "-------------------------------------------------------------------------"
 ]