diff --git a/configure b/configure
index 3715d169dbf..1224fc4039e 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -9520,6 +9520,9 @@ case " ${configdirs} " in
   *\ gdbserver\ *)
     configdirs="${configdirs} gnulib gdbsupport"
     ;;
+  *\ sim\ *)
+    configdirs="${configdirs} gnulib"
+    ;;
 esac
 
 # Strip out unwanted targets.
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 626e2106cba..66d637d70dc 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -2849,6 +2849,9 @@ case " ${configdirs} " in
   *\ gdbserver\ *)
     configdirs="${configdirs} gnulib gdbsupport"
     ;;
+  *\ sim\ *)
+    configdirs="${configdirs} gnulib"
+    ;;
 esac
 
 # Strip out unwanted targets.