diff --git a/ares/acinclude.m4 b/ares/acinclude.m4
index 2f6256ae47015933020e17fd7d9863ad3724251a..f4f317eae00cd0cf81d14b833620d2147150d2cd 100644
--- a/ares/acinclude.m4
+++ b/ares/acinclude.m4
@@ -242,26 +242,6 @@ AC_DEFUN([CARES_CHECK_STRUCT], [
   fi
 ])
 
-dnl This macro determins if the specified struct contains a specific member.
-dnl Syntax:
-dnl CARES_CHECK_STRUCT_MEMBER(headers, struct name, member name, if found, [if not found])
-
-AC_DEFUN([CARES_CHECK_STRUCT_MEMBER], [
-  AC_MSG_CHECKING([if struct $2 has member $3])
-  AC_TRY_COMPILE([$1], 
-    [
-      struct $2 struct_instance;
-      struct_instance.$3 = 0;
-    ], ac_struct="yes", ac_found="no")
-  if test "$ac_struct" = "yes" ; then
-    AC_MSG_RESULT(yes)
-    $4
-  else
-    AC_MSG_RESULT(no)
-    $5
-  fi
-])
-
 dnl This macro determines if the specified constant exists in the specified file
 dnl Syntax:
 dnl CARES_CHECK_CONSTANT(headers, constant name, if found, [if not found])
diff --git a/ares/configure.ac b/ares/configure.ac
index 73901394a53b8bd1b4c3b63bd4610702f0b5fd47..271dfeb4fc9df64b134db168a6f0baa7e907b7ec 100644
--- a/ares/configure.ac
+++ b/ares/configure.ac
@@ -176,7 +176,10 @@ CARES_CHECK_STRUCT(
 )
 
 if test "$ac_have_sockaddr_in6" = "yes" ; then
-CARES_CHECK_STRUCT_MEMBER(
+AC_CHECK_MEMBER(struct sockaddr_in6.sin6_scope_id,
+    AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED(HAVE_SOCKADDR_IN6_SIN6_SCOPE_ID,1,
+      [Define to 1 if your struct sockaddr_in6 has sin6_scope_id.])
+   , ,
   [
 #ifdef HAVE_SYS_TYPES_H
 #include <sys/types.h>
@@ -188,8 +191,6 @@ CARES_CHECK_STRUCT_MEMBER(
 #include <netinet/in.h>
 #endif
   ], [sockaddr_in6], [sin6_scope_id],
-     AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED(HAVE_SOCKADDR_IN6_SIN6_SCOPE_ID,1,
-       [Define to 1 if your struct sockaddr_in6 has sin6_scope_id.])
 )
 fi