diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 5e2f7e4..785e7fe 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -42,6 +42,12 @@ AC_SEARCH_LIBS([strlcpy], [bsd])
 AS_IF([test "x$ac_cv_search_strlcpy" = "x-lbsd"], [AC_CHECK_HEADERS([bsd/string.h])])
 AC_CHECK_FUNCS([strlcpy])
 
+# check if bsd/string.h needs to be included
+dnl Check for the bsd/string.h header
+AC_CHECK_HEADER([bsd/string.h],
+  [AC_DEFINE([HAVE_BSD_STRING_H], [1], [Define if you have <bsd/string.h>])]
+)
+
 # Need the math library
 AC_CHECK_LIB([m],[sin])
 
diff --git a/palIntin.c b/palIntin.c
index 276f974..fb0a2ad 100644
--- a/palIntin.c
+++ b/palIntin.c
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ void palIntin( const char * string, int *nstrt,
      string first and look for the negative */
   hasminus = 0;
   ctemp = strstart;
-  while ( ctemp != '\0' ) {
+  while ( *ctemp ) {
     if (isdigit(*ctemp)) break;
     /* Reset so that - 12345 is not a negative number */
     hasminus = 0;