diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 3c7d4db4af..11a9a3118e 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -191,7 +191,7 @@ case $host in
        AC_CHECK_PROG([PORT],port, port)
        if test x$PORT = xport; then
          dnl add default macports paths
-         CPPFLAGS="$CPPFLAGS -I/opt/local/include -I/opt/local/include/db48"
+         CPPFLAGS="$CPPFLAGS -isystem /opt/local/include -I/opt/local/include/db48"
          LIBS="$LIBS -L/opt/local/lib -L/opt/local/lib/db48"
        fi