diff --git a/bindings/ruby/defs.h b/bindings/ruby/defs.h
index 85d8205e..3f9512ba 100644
--- a/bindings/ruby/defs.h
+++ b/bindings/ruby/defs.h
@@ -21,8 +21,8 @@
 #ifndef DEFS_H
 #define DEFS_H
 
+#include <notmuch.h>
 #include <ruby.h>
-#include "notmuch.h"
 
 VALUE notmuch_rb_cDatabase;
 VALUE notmuch_rb_cDirectory;
diff --git a/bindings/ruby/extconf.rb b/bindings/ruby/extconf.rb
index 933f34a9..7b9750f2 100644
--- a/bindings/ruby/extconf.rb
+++ b/bindings/ruby/extconf.rb
@@ -5,27 +5,9 @@
 
 require 'mkmf'
 
-NOTDIR = File.expand_path(File.join(File.dirname(__FILE__), '..', '..', 'lib'))
-NOTHDR = File.join(NOTDIR, 'notmuch.h')
-NOTLIB = File.join(NOTDIR, 'libnotmuch.a')
-
-unless File.exists? NOTHDR
-  $stderr.puts "notmuch.h is missing under #{NOTDIR}"
-  exit 1
-end
-
-unless File.exists? NOTLIB
-  $stderr.puts "libnotmuch.a is missing under #{NOTDIR}"
-  exit 1
-end
-
-# Small hack to build with in-tree version not the installed one.
-# find_header() and friends use standard include/library paths first.
-$stderr.puts "Added -I#{NOTDIR} to $INCFLAGS"
-$INCFLAGS = "-I#{NOTDIR}".quote + " " + $INCFLAGS
-find_header('notmuch.h', NOTDIR)
-
-$LOCAL_LIBS += NOTLIB
+# Notmuch Library
+find_header('notmuch.h', '../../lib')
+find_library('notmuch', 'notmuch_database_create', '../../lib')
 
 # Create Makefile
 dir_config('notmuch')