diff --git a/configure b/configure
index db8cc436a3..19e4e73eb6 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -22550,7 +22550,7 @@ else
         { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: result: yes" >&5
 $as_echo "yes" >&6; }
 
-                            $as_echo "#define wxUSE_FONTCONFIG 1" >>confdefs.h
+                            $as_echo "#define wxHAVE_FONTCONFIG_2_8_0 1" >>confdefs.h
 
                             CXXFLAGS="$FONTCONFIG_CFLAGS $CXXFLAGS"
                             GUI_TK_LIBRARY="$GUI_TK_LIBRARY $FONTCONFIG_LIBS"
diff --git a/configure.in b/configure.in
index 40ce665b4d..77b79235c1 100644
--- a/configure.in
+++ b/configure.in
@@ -2963,13 +2963,13 @@ libraries returned by 'pkg-config gtk+-2.0 --libs' or 'gtk-config
             dnl fi
         fi
 
-        PKG_CHECK_MODULES(FONTCONFIG, [fontconfig],
+        PKG_CHECK_MODULES(FONTCONFIG, [fontconfig >= 2.8.0],
                           [
-                            AC_DEFINE(wxUSE_FONTCONFIG)
+                            AC_DEFINE(wxHAVE_FONTCONFIG_2_8_0)
                             CXXFLAGS="$FONTCONFIG_CFLAGS $CXXFLAGS"
                             GUI_TK_LIBRARY="$GUI_TK_LIBRARY $FONTCONFIG_LIBS"
                           ],
-                          [AC_MSG_WARN([fontconfig library not found, run-time font loading won't be supported by wxFont])])
+                          [AC_MSG_WARN([fontconfig library not found or too old, run-time font loading won't be supported by wxFont])])
     fi
 
     if test "$wxUSE_DFB" = 1; then
diff --git a/include/wx/gtk/font.h b/include/wx/gtk/font.h
index 4bd38738d6..a8f8ce381f 100644
--- a/include/wx/gtk/font.h
+++ b/include/wx/gtk/font.h
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ private:
     wxDECLARE_DYNAMIC_CLASS(wxFont);
 };
 
-#if wxUSE_FONTCONFIG
+#ifdef wxHAVE_FONTCONFIG_2_8_0
     #define wxHAS_PRIVATE_FONTS 1
 #endif
 
diff --git a/setup.h.in b/setup.h.in
index 0d35c88436..e173a50227 100644
--- a/setup.h.in
+++ b/setup.h.in
@@ -836,7 +836,7 @@
 /*
  * Use FontConfig library for private fonts support in wxFont.
  */
-#define wxUSE_FONTCONFIG 0
+#undef wxHAVE_FONTCONFIG_2_8_0
 /*
  * Use GTK print for printing under GTK+ 2.10+
  */
diff --git a/setup.h_vms b/setup.h_vms
index 24e8301f4a..e9958e410d 100644
--- a/setup.h_vms
+++ b/setup.h_vms
@@ -906,9 +906,9 @@ typedef pid_t GPid;
  * Use FontConfig library for private fonts support in wxFont.
  */
 #ifdef VMS_GTK2
-#define wxUSE_FONTCONFIG 1
+#define wxHAVE_FONTCONFIG_2_8_0 1
 #else
-#define wxUSE_FONTCONFIG 0
+#undef wxHAVE_FONTCONFIG_2_8_0
 #endif
 /*
  * Use GTK print for printing under GTK+ 2.10+