diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 8d5df7ea1e..0286bb58b8 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1063,14 +1063,11 @@ else
 	REMOTE_CURL_NAMES = $(REMOTE_CURL_PRIMARY) $(REMOTE_CURL_ALIASES)
 	PROGRAM_OBJS += http-fetch.o
 	PROGRAMS += $(REMOTE_CURL_NAMES)
-	curl_check := $(shell (echo 070908; curl-config --vernum | sed -e '/^70[BC]/s/^/0/') 2>/dev/null | sort -r | sed -ne 2p)
-	ifeq "$(curl_check)" "070908"
+	ifndef NO_CURL_MULTI
 		ifndef NO_EXPAT
 			PROGRAM_OBJS += http-push.o
 		endif
-	endif
-	curl_check := $(shell (echo 072200; curl-config --vernum | sed -e '/^70[BC]/s/^/0/') 2>/dev/null | sort -r | sed -ne 2p)
-	ifeq "$(curl_check)" "072200"
+		# Assume that cURL is new enough
 		USE_CURL_FOR_IMAP_SEND = YesPlease
 	endif
 	ifdef USE_CURL_FOR_IMAP_SEND
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 14012fad72..8bc0677159 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -521,6 +521,17 @@ AC_CHECK_LIB([curl], [curl_global_init],
 [NO_CURL=],
 [NO_CURL=YesPlease])
 
+if test -z "$NO_CURL"; then
+
+AC_CHECK_DECLS([curl_multi_init],
+[NO_CURL_MULTI=],
+[NO_CURL_MULTI=UnfortunatelyYes],
+[[#include <curl/curl.h>]])
+
+GIT_CONF_SUBST([NO_CURL_MULTI])
+
+fi
+
 GIT_UNSTASH_FLAGS($CURLDIR)
 
 GIT_CONF_SUBST([NO_CURL])