diff --git a/build/pkgs/eclib/spkg-configure.m4 b/build/pkgs/eclib/spkg-configure.m4
index 133b44bfdc1..ba5c22fa090 100644
--- a/build/pkgs/eclib/spkg-configure.m4
+++ b/build/pkgs/eclib/spkg-configure.m4
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ SAGE_SPKG_CONFIGURE([eclib], [
   SAGE_SPKG_DEPCHECK([ntl pari flint], [
     dnl use existing eclib only if the version reported by pkg-config is recent enough
     m4_pushdef([SAGE_ECLIB_VER],["20231212"])
-    PKG_CHECK_MODULES([ECLIB], [eclib = SAGE_ECLIB_VER], [
+    PKG_CHECK_MODULES([ECLIB], [eclib >= SAGE_ECLIB_VER], [
       AC_CACHE_CHECK([for mwrank version == SAGE_ECLIB_VER], [ac_cv_path_MWRANK], [
         AC_PATH_PROGS_FEATURE_CHECK([MWRANK], [mwrank], [
             mwrank_version=`$ac_path_MWRANK -V 2>&1`