diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index d5f31a2d..ecefe9c9 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -150,6 +150,14 @@ ell_shared = ell/useful.h ell/asn1-private.h
 ell_libell_internal_la_SOURCES = $(ell_headers) $(ell_sources) $(ell_shared)
 endif
 
+if LIBEDIT
+client_cflags = $(LIBEDIT_CFLAGS)
+client_ldadd = $(LIBEDIT_LIBS)
+else
+client_cflags =
+client_ldadd = $(READLINE_LIBS)
+endif
+
 bin_PROGRAMS =
 libexec_PROGRAMS =
 noinst_PROGRAMS =
@@ -308,7 +316,7 @@ client_iwctl_SOURCES = client/main.c \
 			src/util.c src/util.h \
 			src/band.c src/band.h
 
-client_iwctl_LDADD = $(ell_ldadd) $(READLINE_LIBS)
+client_iwctl_LDADD = $(ell_ldadd) $(client_ldadd)
 
 if MANUAL_PAGES
 man_MANS += client/iwctl.1
@@ -544,7 +552,7 @@ unit_test_client_SOURCES = unit/test-client.c \
 				client/display.h client/display.c \
 				client/network.h client/network.c \
 				client/properties.h client/properties.c
-unit_test_client_LDADD = $(ell_ldadd) $(READLINE_LIBS)
+unit_test_client_LDADD = $(ell_ldadd) $(client_ldadd)
 endif
 
 unit_test_sae_SOURCES = unit/test-sae.c \
@@ -586,7 +594,7 @@ EXTRA_DIST = src/genbuiltin src/iwd.service.in src/net.connman.iwd.service \
 					$(patsubst %.5,%.rst, \
 					$(patsubst %.8,%.rst,$(manual_pages))))
 
-AM_CFLAGS = $(ell_cflags) -fvisibility=hidden \
+AM_CFLAGS = $(ell_cflags) $(client_cflags) -fvisibility=hidden \
 				-DUNITDIR=\""$(top_srcdir)/unit/"\" \
 				-DCERTDIR=\""$(top_builddir)/unit/"\"
 
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index ed3599de..61bd5155 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -153,11 +153,17 @@ AC_ARG_ENABLE([client], AS_HELP_STRING([--disable-client],
 				[don't install iwctl client utility]),
 					[enable_client=${enableval}])
 if (test "${enable_client}" != "no"); then
-	AC_CHECK_HEADERS(readline/readline.h, enable_readline=yes,
-			AC_MSG_ERROR(readline header files are required))
-	PKG_CHECK_MODULES(READLINE, readline, dummy=yes, READLINE_LIBS=-lreadline)
-	AC_SUBST(READLINE_CFLAGS)
-	AC_SUBST(READLINE_LIBS)
+	if (test "${enable_libedit}" = "yes"); then
+		PKG_CHECK_MODULES(LIBEDIT, libedit, dummy=yes,
+				AC_MSG_ERROR(Editline library is required))
+		AC_SUBST(LIBEDIT_CFLAGS)
+		AC_SUBST(LIBEDIT_LIBS)
+	else
+		PKG_CHECK_MODULES(READLINE, readline, dummy=yes,
+				AC_MSG_ERROR(Readline library is required))
+		AC_SUBST(READLINE_CFLAGS)
+		AC_SUBST(READLINE_LIBS)
+	fi
 fi
 AM_CONDITIONAL(CLIENT, test "${enable_client}" != "no")
 
@@ -274,6 +280,10 @@ if (test "${enable_external_ell}" = "yes"); then
 fi
 AM_CONDITIONAL(EXTERNAL_ELL, test "${enable_external_ell}" = "yes")
 
+AC_ARG_ENABLE([libedit], AS_HELP_STRING([--enable-libedit],
+				[enable Editline library instead of Readline]),
+					[enable_libedit=${enableval}])
+AM_CONDITIONAL(LIBEDIT, test "${enable_libedit}" = "yes")
 
 AC_ARG_ENABLE([wired], AS_HELP_STRING([--enable-wired],
 				[enable Ethernet authentication support]),