diff --git a/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Build/2022-06-30-09-57-39.gh-issue-90005.9-pQyR.rst b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Build/2022-06-30-09-57-39.gh-issue-90005.9-pQyR.rst
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..9b14f767847dad
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Build/2022-06-30-09-57-39.gh-issue-90005.9-pQyR.rst
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+``_dbm`` module dependencies are now detected by configure.
diff --git a/Modules/Setup.stdlib.in b/Modules/Setup.stdlib.in
index a199aefc510114..ad34f85e254514 100644
--- a/Modules/Setup.stdlib.in
+++ b/Modules/Setup.stdlib.in
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@
 
 # dbm/gdbm
 # dbm needs either libndbm, libgdbm_compat, or libdb 5.x
-#@MODULE__DBM_TRUE@_dbm _dbmmodule.c
+@MODULE__DBM_TRUE@_dbm _dbmmodule.c
 # gdbm module needs -lgdbm
 @MODULE__GDBM_TRUE@_gdbm _gdbmmodule.c
 
diff --git a/configure b/configure
index 9144ee19036178..8d0ba9740b8eaf 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -664,6 +664,8 @@ MODULE_NIS_FALSE
 MODULE_NIS_TRUE
 MODULE__GDBM_FALSE
 MODULE__GDBM_TRUE
+MODULE__DBM_FALSE
+MODULE__DBM_TRUE
 MODULE__DECIMAL_FALSE
 MODULE__DECIMAL_TRUE
 MODULE__CTYPES_FALSE
@@ -14040,7 +14042,6 @@ LIBS=$save_LIBS
 
 
 
-# check for _dbmmodule.c dependencies
 for ac_header in ndbm.h
 do :
   ac_fn_c_check_header_mongrel "$LINENO" "ndbm.h" "ac_cv_header_ndbm_h" "$ac_includes_default"
@@ -14049,14 +14050,18 @@ if test "x$ac_cv_header_ndbm_h" = xyes; then :
 #define HAVE_NDBM_H 1
 _ACEOF
 
-  LIBS_SAVE="$LIBS"
-  { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: checking for dbm_open in -lndbm" >&5
-$as_echo_n "checking for dbm_open in -lndbm... " >&6; }
-if ${ac_cv_lib_ndbm_dbm_open+:} false; then :
+  save_CFLAGS=$CFLAGS
+save_CPPFLAGS=$CPPFLAGS
+save_LDFLAGS=$LDFLAGS
+save_LIBS=$LIBS
+
+
+    { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: checking for library containing dbm_open" >&5
+$as_echo_n "checking for library containing dbm_open... " >&6; }
+if ${ac_cv_search_dbm_open+:} false; then :
   $as_echo_n "(cached) " >&6
 else
-  ac_check_lib_save_LIBS=$LIBS
-LIBS="-lndbm  $LIBS"
+  ac_func_search_save_LIBS=$LIBS
 cat confdefs.h - <<_ACEOF >conftest.$ac_ext
 /* end confdefs.h.  */
 
@@ -14075,81 +14080,73 @@ return dbm_open ();
   return 0;
 }
 _ACEOF
-if ac_fn_c_try_link "$LINENO"; then :
-  ac_cv_lib_ndbm_dbm_open=yes
-else
-  ac_cv_lib_ndbm_dbm_open=no
+for ac_lib in '' ndbm gdbm_compat; do
+  if test -z "$ac_lib"; then
+    ac_res="none required"
+  else
+    ac_res=-l$ac_lib
+    LIBS="-l$ac_lib  $ac_func_search_save_LIBS"
+  fi
+  if ac_fn_c_try_link "$LINENO"; then :
+  ac_cv_search_dbm_open=$ac_res
 fi
 rm -f core conftest.err conftest.$ac_objext \
-    conftest$ac_exeext conftest.$ac_ext
-LIBS=$ac_check_lib_save_LIBS
-fi
-{ $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: result: $ac_cv_lib_ndbm_dbm_open" >&5
-$as_echo "$ac_cv_lib_ndbm_dbm_open" >&6; }
-if test "x$ac_cv_lib_ndbm_dbm_open" = xyes; then :
-  cat >>confdefs.h <<_ACEOF
-#define HAVE_LIBNDBM 1
-_ACEOF
-
-  LIBS="-lndbm $LIBS"
-
+    conftest$ac_exeext
+  if ${ac_cv_search_dbm_open+:} false; then :
+  break
 fi
+done
+if ${ac_cv_search_dbm_open+:} false; then :
 
-  LIBS="$LIBS_SAVE"
-  { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: checking for dbm_open in -lgdbm_compat" >&5
-$as_echo_n "checking for dbm_open in -lgdbm_compat... " >&6; }
-if ${ac_cv_lib_gdbm_compat_dbm_open+:} false; then :
-  $as_echo_n "(cached) " >&6
 else
-  ac_check_lib_save_LIBS=$LIBS
-LIBS="-lgdbm_compat  $LIBS"
-cat confdefs.h - <<_ACEOF >conftest.$ac_ext
-/* end confdefs.h.  */
-
-/* Override any GCC internal prototype to avoid an error.
-   Use char because int might match the return type of a GCC
-   builtin and then its argument prototype would still apply.  */
-#ifdef __cplusplus
-extern "C"
-#endif
-char dbm_open ();
-int
-main ()
-{
-return dbm_open ();
-  ;
-  return 0;
-}
-_ACEOF
-if ac_fn_c_try_link "$LINENO"; then :
-  ac_cv_lib_gdbm_compat_dbm_open=yes
-else
-  ac_cv_lib_gdbm_compat_dbm_open=no
+  ac_cv_search_dbm_open=no
 fi
-rm -f core conftest.err conftest.$ac_objext \
-    conftest$ac_exeext conftest.$ac_ext
-LIBS=$ac_check_lib_save_LIBS
+rm conftest.$ac_ext
+LIBS=$ac_func_search_save_LIBS
 fi
-{ $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: result: $ac_cv_lib_gdbm_compat_dbm_open" >&5
-$as_echo "$ac_cv_lib_gdbm_compat_dbm_open" >&6; }
-if test "x$ac_cv_lib_gdbm_compat_dbm_open" = xyes; then :
-  cat >>confdefs.h <<_ACEOF
-#define HAVE_LIBGDBM_COMPAT 1
-_ACEOF
-
-  LIBS="-lgdbm_compat $LIBS"
+{ $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: result: $ac_cv_search_dbm_open" >&5
+$as_echo "$ac_cv_search_dbm_open" >&6; }
+ac_res=$ac_cv_search_dbm_open
+if test "$ac_res" != no; then :
+  test "$ac_res" = "none required" || LIBS="$ac_res $LIBS"
 
 fi
 
-  LIBS="$LIBS_SAVE"
+
+CFLAGS=$save_CFLAGS
+CPPFLAGS=$save_CPPFLAGS
+LDFLAGS=$save_LDFLAGS
+LIBS=$save_LIBS
+
+
 
 fi
 
 done
 
 
-# "gdbm-ndbm.h" and "gdbm/ndbm.h" are both normalized to "gdbm_ndbm_h"
-# unset ac_cv_header_gdbm_ndbm_h to prevent false positive cache hits.
+{ $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: checking for ndbm presence and linker args" >&5
+$as_echo_n "checking for ndbm presence and linker args... " >&6; }
+case $ac_cv_search_dbm_open in #(
+  *ndbm*|*gdbm_compat*) :
+
+    dbm_ndbm="$ac_cv_search_dbm_open"
+    have_ndbm=yes
+   ;; #(
+  none*) :
+
+    dbm_ndbm=""
+    have_ndbm=yes
+   ;; #(
+  no) :
+    have_ndbm=no
+ ;; #(
+  *) :
+     ;;
+esac
+{ $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: result: $have_ndbm ($dbm_ndbm)" >&5
+$as_echo "$have_ndbm ($dbm_ndbm)" >&6; }
+
 { ac_cv_header_gdbm_ndbm_h=; unset ac_cv_header_gdbm_ndbm_h;}
 if ${ac_cv_header_gdbm_slash_ndbm_h+:} false; then :
   $as_echo_n "(cached) " >&6
@@ -14202,14 +14199,18 @@ fi
 { ac_cv_header_gdbm_ndbm_h=; unset ac_cv_header_gdbm_ndbm_h;}
 
 if test "$ac_cv_header_gdbm_slash_ndbm_h" = yes -o "$ac_cv_header_gdbm_dash_ndbm_h" = yes; then
-  LIBS_SAVE="$LIBS"
-  { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: checking for dbm_open in -lgdbm_compat" >&5
-$as_echo_n "checking for dbm_open in -lgdbm_compat... " >&6; }
-if ${ac_cv_lib_gdbm_compat_dbm_open+:} false; then :
+  save_CFLAGS=$CFLAGS
+save_CPPFLAGS=$CPPFLAGS
+save_LDFLAGS=$LDFLAGS
+save_LIBS=$LIBS
+
+
+    { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: checking for library containing dbm_open" >&5
+$as_echo_n "checking for library containing dbm_open... " >&6; }
+if ${ac_cv_search_dbm_open+:} false; then :
   $as_echo_n "(cached) " >&6
 else
-  ac_check_lib_save_LIBS=$LIBS
-LIBS="-lgdbm_compat  $LIBS"
+  ac_func_search_save_LIBS=$LIBS
 cat confdefs.h - <<_ACEOF >conftest.$ac_ext
 /* end confdefs.h.  */
 
@@ -14228,27 +14229,45 @@ return dbm_open ();
   return 0;
 }
 _ACEOF
-if ac_fn_c_try_link "$LINENO"; then :
-  ac_cv_lib_gdbm_compat_dbm_open=yes
-else
-  ac_cv_lib_gdbm_compat_dbm_open=no
+for ac_lib in '' gdbm_compat; do
+  if test -z "$ac_lib"; then
+    ac_res="none required"
+  else
+    ac_res=-l$ac_lib
+    LIBS="-l$ac_lib  $ac_func_search_save_LIBS"
+  fi
+  if ac_fn_c_try_link "$LINENO"; then :
+  ac_cv_search_dbm_open=$ac_res
 fi
 rm -f core conftest.err conftest.$ac_objext \
-    conftest$ac_exeext conftest.$ac_ext
-LIBS=$ac_check_lib_save_LIBS
+    conftest$ac_exeext
+  if ${ac_cv_search_dbm_open+:} false; then :
+  break
 fi
-{ $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: result: $ac_cv_lib_gdbm_compat_dbm_open" >&5
-$as_echo "$ac_cv_lib_gdbm_compat_dbm_open" >&6; }
-if test "x$ac_cv_lib_gdbm_compat_dbm_open" = xyes; then :
-  cat >>confdefs.h <<_ACEOF
-#define HAVE_LIBGDBM_COMPAT 1
-_ACEOF
+done
+if ${ac_cv_search_dbm_open+:} false; then :
 
-  LIBS="-lgdbm_compat $LIBS"
+else
+  ac_cv_search_dbm_open=no
+fi
+rm conftest.$ac_ext
+LIBS=$ac_func_search_save_LIBS
+fi
+{ $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: result: $ac_cv_search_dbm_open" >&5
+$as_echo "$ac_cv_search_dbm_open" >&6; }
+ac_res=$ac_cv_search_dbm_open
+if test "$ac_res" != no; then :
+  test "$ac_res" = "none required" || LIBS="$ac_res $LIBS"
 
 fi
 
-  LIBS="$LIBS_SAVE"
+
+CFLAGS=$save_CFLAGS
+CPPFLAGS=$save_CPPFLAGS
+LDFLAGS=$save_LDFLAGS
+LIBS=$save_LIBS
+
+
 fi
 
 # Check for libdb >= 5 with dbm_open()
@@ -14267,16 +14286,21 @@ if ${ac_cv_have_libdb+:} false; then :
   $as_echo_n "(cached) " >&6
 else
 
-    LIBS_SAVE="$LIBS"
-    LIBS="$LIBS -ldb"
-    cat confdefs.h - <<_ACEOF >conftest.$ac_ext
+    save_CFLAGS=$CFLAGS
+save_CPPFLAGS=$CPPFLAGS
+save_LDFLAGS=$LDFLAGS
+save_LIBS=$LIBS
+
+
+      LIBS="$LIBS -ldb"
+      cat confdefs.h - <<_ACEOF >conftest.$ac_ext
 /* end confdefs.h.  */
 
-      #define DB_DBM_HSEARCH 1
-      #include <db.h>
-      #if DB_VERSION_MAJOR < 5
-        #error "dh.h: DB_VERSION_MAJOR < 5 is not supported."
-      #endif
+        #define DB_DBM_HSEARCH 1
+        #include <db.h>
+        #if DB_VERSION_MAJOR < 5
+          #error "dh.h: DB_VERSION_MAJOR < 5 is not supported."
+        #endif
 
 int
 main ()
@@ -14294,7 +14318,13 @@ else
 fi
 rm -f core conftest.err conftest.$ac_objext \
     conftest$ac_exeext conftest.$ac_ext
-    LIBS="$LIBS_SAVE"
+
+CFLAGS=$save_CFLAGS
+CPPFLAGS=$save_CPPFLAGS
+LDFLAGS=$save_LDFLAGS
+LIBS=$save_LIBS
+
+
 
 fi
 { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: result: $ac_cv_have_libdb" >&5
@@ -14349,6 +14379,43 @@ fi
 { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: result: $with_dbmliborder" >&5
 $as_echo "$with_dbmliborder" >&6; }
 
+{ $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: checking for _dbm module CFLAGS and LIBS" >&5
+$as_echo_n "checking for _dbm module CFLAGS and LIBS... " >&6; }
+have_dbm=no
+as_save_IFS=$IFS
+IFS=:
+for db in $with_dbmliborder; do
+  case "$db" in
+    ndbm)
+      if test "$have_ndbm" = yes; then
+        DBM_CFLAGS="-DUSE_NDBM"
+        DBM_LIBS="$dbm_ndbm"
+        have_dbm=yes
+        break
+      fi
+      ;;
+    gdbm)
+      if test "$have_gdbm_compat" = yes; then
+        DBM_CFLAGS="-DUSE_GDBM_COMPAT"
+        DBM_LIBS="-lgdbm_compat"
+        have_dbm=yes
+        break
+      fi
+      ;;
+    bdb)
+      if test "$ac_cv_have_libdb" = yes; then
+        DBM_CFLAGS="-DUSE_BERKDB"
+        DBM_LIBS="-ldb"
+        have_dbm=yes
+        break
+      fi
+     ;;
+  esac
+done
+IFS=$as_save_IFS
+{ $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: result: $DBM_CFLAGS $DBM_LIBS" >&5
+$as_echo "$DBM_CFLAGS $DBM_LIBS" >&6; }
+
 # Templates for things AC_DEFINEd more than once.
 # For a single AC_DEFINE, no template is needed.
 
@@ -24604,6 +24671,40 @@ fi
 $as_echo "$py_cv_module__decimal" >&6; }
 
 
+  { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: checking for stdlib extension module _dbm" >&5
+$as_echo_n "checking for stdlib extension module _dbm... " >&6; }
+        if test "$py_cv_module__dbm" != "n/a"; then :
+
+    if test -n "$with_dbmliborder"; then :
+  if test "$have_dbm" != "no"; then :
+  py_cv_module__dbm=yes
+else
+  py_cv_module__dbm=missing
+fi
+else
+  py_cv_module__dbm=disabled
+fi
+
+fi
+  as_fn_append MODULE_BLOCK "MODULE__DBM_STATE=$py_cv_module__dbm$as_nl"
+  if test "x$py_cv_module__dbm" = xyes; then :
+
+    as_fn_append MODULE_BLOCK "MODULE__DBM_CFLAGS=$DBM_CFLAGS$as_nl"
+    as_fn_append MODULE_BLOCK "MODULE__DBM_LDFLAGS=$DBM_LIBS$as_nl"
+
+fi
+   if test "$py_cv_module__dbm" = yes; then
+  MODULE__DBM_TRUE=
+  MODULE__DBM_FALSE='#'
+else
+  MODULE__DBM_TRUE='#'
+  MODULE__DBM_FALSE=
+fi
+
+  { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: result: $py_cv_module__dbm" >&5
+$as_echo "$py_cv_module__dbm" >&6; }
+
+
   { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: checking for stdlib extension module _gdbm" >&5
 $as_echo_n "checking for stdlib extension module _gdbm... " >&6; }
         if test "$py_cv_module__gdbm" != "n/a"; then :
@@ -25622,6 +25723,10 @@ if test -z "${MODULE__DECIMAL_TRUE}" && test -z "${MODULE__DECIMAL_FALSE}"; then
   as_fn_error $? "conditional \"MODULE__DECIMAL\" was never defined.
 Usually this means the macro was only invoked conditionally." "$LINENO" 5
 fi
+if test -z "${MODULE__DBM_TRUE}" && test -z "${MODULE__DBM_FALSE}"; then
+  as_fn_error $? "conditional \"MODULE__DBM\" was never defined.
+Usually this means the macro was only invoked conditionally." "$LINENO" 5
+fi
 if test -z "${MODULE__GDBM_TRUE}" && test -z "${MODULE__GDBM_FALSE}"; then
   as_fn_error $? "conditional \"MODULE__GDBM\" was never defined.
 Usually this means the macro was only invoked conditionally." "$LINENO" 5
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 12ae2ae8d87eb3..b03ead3bdefa04 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -3956,17 +3956,30 @@ WITH_SAVE_ENV([
   ], [have_gdbm=no])
 ])
 
-# check for _dbmmodule.c dependencies
+dnl check for _dbmmodule.c dependencies
+dnl ndbm, gdbm_compat, libdb
 AC_CHECK_HEADERS([ndbm.h], [
-  LIBS_SAVE="$LIBS"
-  AC_CHECK_LIB([ndbm], [dbm_open])
-  LIBS="$LIBS_SAVE"
-  AC_CHECK_LIB([gdbm_compat], [dbm_open])
-  LIBS="$LIBS_SAVE"
+  WITH_SAVE_ENV([
+    AC_SEARCH_LIBS([dbm_open], [ndbm gdbm_compat])
+  ])
 ])
 
-# "gdbm-ndbm.h" and "gdbm/ndbm.h" are both normalized to "gdbm_ndbm_h"
-# unset ac_cv_header_gdbm_ndbm_h to prevent false positive cache hits.
+AC_MSG_CHECKING([for ndbm presence and linker args])
+AS_CASE([$ac_cv_search_dbm_open],
+  [*ndbm*|*gdbm_compat*], [
+    dbm_ndbm="$ac_cv_search_dbm_open"
+    have_ndbm=yes
+  ],
+  [none*], [
+    dbm_ndbm=""
+    have_ndbm=yes
+  ],
+  [no], [have_ndbm=no]
+)
+AC_MSG_RESULT([$have_ndbm ($dbm_ndbm)])
+
+dnl "gdbm-ndbm.h" and "gdbm/ndbm.h" are both normalized to "gdbm_ndbm_h"
+dnl unset ac_cv_header_gdbm_ndbm_h to prevent false positive cache hits.
 AS_UNSET([ac_cv_header_gdbm_ndbm_h])
 AC_CACHE_VAL([ac_cv_header_gdbm_slash_ndbm_h], [
   AC_CHECK_HEADER(
@@ -3991,26 +4004,26 @@ AS_VAR_IF([ac_cv_header_gdbm_dash_ndbm_h], [yes], [
 AS_UNSET([ac_cv_header_gdbm_ndbm_h])
 
 if test "$ac_cv_header_gdbm_slash_ndbm_h" = yes -o "$ac_cv_header_gdbm_dash_ndbm_h" = yes; then
-  LIBS_SAVE="$LIBS"
-  AC_CHECK_LIB([gdbm_compat], [dbm_open])
-  LIBS="$LIBS_SAVE"
+  WITH_SAVE_ENV([
+    AC_SEARCH_LIBS([dbm_open], [gdbm_compat])
+  ])
 fi
 
 # Check for libdb >= 5 with dbm_open()
 # db.h re-defines the name of the function
 AC_CHECK_HEADERS([db.h], [
   AC_CACHE_CHECK([for libdb], [ac_cv_have_libdb], [
-    LIBS_SAVE="$LIBS"
-    LIBS="$LIBS -ldb"
-    AC_LINK_IFELSE([AC_LANG_PROGRAM([
-      #define DB_DBM_HSEARCH 1
-      #include <db.h>
-      #if DB_VERSION_MAJOR < 5
-        #error "dh.h: DB_VERSION_MAJOR < 5 is not supported."
-      #endif
-      ], [DBM *dbm = dbm_open(NULL, 0, 0)])
-    ], [ac_cv_have_libdb=yes], [ac_cv_have_libdb=no])
-    LIBS="$LIBS_SAVE"
+    WITH_SAVE_ENV([
+      LIBS="$LIBS -ldb"
+      AC_LINK_IFELSE([AC_LANG_PROGRAM([
+        #define DB_DBM_HSEARCH 1
+        #include <db.h>
+        #if DB_VERSION_MAJOR < 5
+          #error "dh.h: DB_VERSION_MAJOR < 5 is not supported."
+        #endif
+        ], [DBM *dbm = dbm_open(NULL, 0, 0)])
+      ], [ac_cv_have_libdb=yes], [ac_cv_have_libdb=no])
+    ])
   ])
   AS_VAR_IF([ac_cv_have_libdb], [yes], [
     AC_DEFINE([HAVE_LIBDB], [1], [Define to 1 if you have the `db' library (-ldb).])
@@ -4018,7 +4031,7 @@ AC_CHECK_HEADERS([db.h], [
 ])
 
 # Check for --with-dbmliborder
-AC_MSG_CHECKING(for --with-dbmliborder)
+AC_MSG_CHECKING([for --with-dbmliborder])
 AC_ARG_WITH(dbmliborder,
             AS_HELP_STRING([--with-dbmliborder=db1:db2:...], [override order to check db backends for dbm; a valid value is a colon separated string with the backend names `ndbm', `gdbm' and `bdb'.]),
 [], [with_dbmliborder=gdbm:ndbm:bdb])
@@ -4038,7 +4051,42 @@ IFS=$as_save_IFS
 AS_VAR_IF([with_dbmliborder], [error], [
   AC_MSG_ERROR([proper usage is --with-dbmliborder=db1:db2:... (gdbm:ndbm:bdb)])
 ])
-AC_MSG_RESULT($with_dbmliborder)
+AC_MSG_RESULT([$with_dbmliborder])
+
+AC_MSG_CHECKING([for _dbm module CFLAGS and LIBS])
+have_dbm=no
+as_save_IFS=$IFS
+IFS=:
+for db in $with_dbmliborder; do
+  case "$db" in
+    ndbm)
+      if test "$have_ndbm" = yes; then
+        DBM_CFLAGS="-DUSE_NDBM"
+        DBM_LIBS="$dbm_ndbm"
+        have_dbm=yes
+        break
+      fi
+      ;;
+    gdbm)
+      if test "$have_gdbm_compat" = yes; then
+        DBM_CFLAGS="-DUSE_GDBM_COMPAT"
+        DBM_LIBS="-lgdbm_compat"
+        have_dbm=yes
+        break
+      fi
+      ;;
+    bdb)
+      if test "$ac_cv_have_libdb" = yes; then
+        DBM_CFLAGS="-DUSE_BERKDB"
+        DBM_LIBS="-ldb"
+        have_dbm=yes
+        break
+      fi
+     ;;
+  esac
+done
+IFS=$as_save_IFS
+AC_MSG_RESULT([$DBM_CFLAGS $DBM_LIBS])
 
 # Templates for things AC_DEFINEd more than once.
 # For a single AC_DEFINE, no template is needed.
@@ -6940,7 +6988,9 @@ PY_STDLIB_MOD([_ctypes],
 dnl PY_STDLIB_MOD([_curses], [], [], [], [])
 dnl PY_STDLIB_MOD([_curses_panel], [], [], [], [])
 PY_STDLIB_MOD([_decimal], [], [], [$LIBMPDEC_CFLAGS], [$LIBMPDEC_LDFLAGS])
-dnl PY_STDLIB_MOD([_dbm], [], [], [], [])
+PY_STDLIB_MOD([_dbm],
+  [test -n "$with_dbmliborder"], [test "$have_dbm" != "no"],
+  [$DBM_CFLAGS], [$DBM_LIBS])
 PY_STDLIB_MOD([_gdbm],
   [test "$have_gdbm_dbmliborder" = yes], [test "$have_gdbm" = yes],
   [$GDBM_CFLAGS], [$GDBM_LIBS])
diff --git a/pyconfig.h.in b/pyconfig.h.in
index 15933e75b1b079..b05ddd41c2bba3 100644
--- a/pyconfig.h.in
+++ b/pyconfig.h.in
@@ -640,18 +640,12 @@
 /* Define to 1 if you have the `dld' library (-ldld). */
 #undef HAVE_LIBDLD
 
-/* Define to 1 if you have the `gdbm_compat' library (-lgdbm_compat). */
-#undef HAVE_LIBGDBM_COMPAT
-
 /* Define to 1 if you have the `ieee' library (-lieee). */
 #undef HAVE_LIBIEEE
 
 /* Define to 1 if you have the <libintl.h> header file. */
 #undef HAVE_LIBINTL_H
 
-/* Define to 1 if you have the `ndbm' library (-lndbm). */
-#undef HAVE_LIBNDBM
-
 /* Define to build the readline module. */
 #undef HAVE_LIBREADLINE
 
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 843ec35effe109..cc11dedee1b2e2 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -1163,77 +1163,7 @@ def detect_crypt(self):
         self.addext(Extension('_crypt', ['_cryptmodule.c']))
 
     def detect_dbm_gdbm(self):
-        # Modules that provide persistent dictionary-like semantics.  You will
-        # probably want to arrange for at least one of them to be available on
-        # your machine, though none are defined by default because of library
-        # dependencies.  The Python module dbm/__init__.py provides an
-        # implementation independent wrapper for these; dbm/dumb.py provides
-        # similar functionality (but slower of course) implemented in Python.
-
-        dbm_setup_debug = False   # verbose debug prints from this script?
-        dbm_order = ['gdbm']
-
-        # libdb, gdbm and ndbm headers and libraries
-        have_ndbm_h = sysconfig.get_config_var("HAVE_NDBM_H")
-        have_gdbm_ndbm_h = sysconfig.get_config_var("HAVE_GDBM_NDBM_H")
-        have_gdbm_dash_ndbm_h = sysconfig.get_config_var("HAVE_GDBM_DASH_NDBM_H")
-        have_libndbm = sysconfig.get_config_var("HAVE_LIBNDBM")
-        have_libgdbm_compat = sysconfig.get_config_var("HAVE_LIBGDBM_COMPAT")
-        have_libdb = sysconfig.get_config_var("HAVE_LIBDB")
-
-        # The standard Unix dbm module:
-        if not CYGWIN:
-            config_args = [arg.strip("'")
-                           for arg in sysconfig.get_config_var("CONFIG_ARGS").split()]
-            dbm_args = [arg for arg in config_args
-                        if arg.startswith('--with-dbmliborder=')]
-            if dbm_args:
-                dbm_order = [arg.split('=')[-1] for arg in dbm_args][-1].split(":")
-            else:
-                dbm_order = "gdbm:ndbm:bdb".split(":")
-            dbmext = None
-            for cand in dbm_order:
-                if cand == "ndbm":
-                    if have_ndbm_h:
-                        # Some systems have -lndbm, others have -lgdbm_compat,
-                        # others don't have either
-                        if have_libndbm:
-                            ndbm_libs = ['ndbm']
-                        elif have_libgdbm_compat:
-                            ndbm_libs = ['gdbm_compat']
-                        else:
-                            ndbm_libs = []
-                        if dbm_setup_debug: print("building dbm using ndbm")
-                        dbmext = Extension(
-                            '_dbm', ['_dbmmodule.c'],
-                            define_macros=[('USE_NDBM', None)],
-                            libraries=ndbm_libs
-                        )
-                        break
-                elif cand == "gdbm":
-                    # dbm_open() is provided by libgdbm_compat, which wraps libgdbm
-                    if have_libgdbm_compat and (have_gdbm_ndbm_h or have_gdbm_dash_ndbm_h):
-                        if dbm_setup_debug: print("building dbm using gdbm")
-                        dbmext = Extension(
-                            '_dbm', ['_dbmmodule.c'],
-                            define_macros=[('USE_GDBM_COMPAT', None)],
-                            libraries=['gdbm_compat']
-                        )
-                        break
-                elif cand == "bdb":
-                    if have_libdb:
-                        if dbm_setup_debug: print("building dbm using bdb")
-                        dbmext = Extension(
-                            '_dbm', ['_dbmmodule.c'],
-                            define_macros=[('USE_BERKDB', None)],
-                            libraries=['db']
-                        )
-                        break
-            if dbmext is not None:
-                self.add(dbmext)
-            else:
-                self.missing.append('_dbm')
-
+        self.addext(Extension('_dbm', ['_dbmmodule.c']))
         # Anthony Baxter's gdbm module.  GNU dbm(3) will require -lgdbm:
         self.addext(Extension('_gdbm', ['_gdbmmodule.c']))