diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 80a188a0b4b11bea3304268d7f9e508a47c8c021..4bd15fcf54d3d328b6426249ab7d12ca184bbfac 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -132,7 +132,9 @@ AC_REPLACE_FUNCS(memxor)
 
 LSH_GCC_ATTRIBUTES
 
-AX_CREATE_STDINT_H([nettle-types.h])
+# According to Simon Josefsson, looking for uint32_t and friends in
+# sys/types.h is needed on some systems, in particular cygwin.
+AX_CREATE_STDINT_H([nettle-types.h], [sys/types.h])
 
 # Checks for libraries
 AC_CHECK_LIB(gmp, __gmpz_getlimbn,,