diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index 5d96b7a5..9f052c0e 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -102,6 +102,7 @@ slabtop_SOURCES = slabtop.c lib/strutils.c lib/fileutils.c
 slabtop_LDADD = $(LDADD) @NCURSES_LIBS@
 watch_SOURCES = watch.c lib/strutils.c lib/fileutils.c
 watch_LDADD = @WATCH_NCURSES_LIBS@ $(CYGWINFLAGS)
+watch_CFLAGS = @WATCH_NCURSES_CFLAGS@
 top_top_SOURCES = \
 	top/top.h \
 	top/top.c \
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index e553e999..75976d8d 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -134,7 +134,8 @@ else
   ])
   AM_CONDITIONAL(WITH_NCURSES, true)
   if test "$enable_watch8bit" = yes; then
-    PKG_CHECK_MODULES([NCURSESW], [ncursesw], [WATCH_NCURSES_LIBS="$NCURSESW_LIBS"], [
+    PKG_CHECK_MODULES([NCURSESW], [ncursesw], [WATCH_NCURSES_LIBS="$NCURSESW_LIBS"]
+    [WATCH_NCURSES_CFLAGS="$NCURSESW_CFLAGS"], [
       AC_CHECK_LIB([ncursesw], [addwstr], [WATCH_NCURSES_LIBS=-lncursesw],
                    [AC_MSG_ERROR([Cannot find ncurses wide library ncursesw with --enable-watch8bit])])
     ])
@@ -144,6 +145,7 @@ else
 fi
 AC_SUBST([NCURSES_LIBS])
 AC_SUBST([WATCH_NCURSES_LIBS])
+AC_SUBST([WATCH_NCURSES_CFLAGS])
 
 AC_ARG_WITH([systemd],
   [AS_HELP_STRING([--with-systemd], [enable systemd support])],
diff --git a/watch.c b/watch.c
index 69c8fc80..215b4bf5 100644
--- a/watch.c
+++ b/watch.c
@@ -52,10 +52,8 @@
 # define _XOPEN_SOURCE_EXTENDED 1
 # include <wchar.h>
 # include <wctype.h>
-# include <ncursesw/ncurses.h>
-#else
-# include <ncurses.h>
 #endif	/* WITH_WATCH8BIT */
+#include <ncurses.h>
 
 #ifdef FORCE_8BIT
 # undef isprint