diff --git a/config.m4 b/config.m4
index f56a823..6010d81 100644
--- a/config.m4
+++ b/config.m4
@@ -115,8 +115,6 @@ if test "$PHP_V8JS" != "no"; then
   dnl Check for V8 version
   dnl (basic support for library linking assumed to be achieved above)
   dnl
-
-
   LIBS="$LIBS $V8JS_SHARED_LIBADD"
   AC_CACHE_CHECK(for V8 version, ac_cv_v8_version, [
 AC_TRY_RUN([#include <v8.h>
@@ -152,90 +150,36 @@ int main ()
     AC_MSG_ERROR([could not determine libv8 version])
   fi
 
-  PHP_ADD_INCLUDE($V8_DIR)
 
-  # modify flags for (possibly) succeeding V8 startup check
-  CPPFLAGS="$CPPFLAGS -I$V8_DIR"
+  dnl
+  dnl  Scan for blob.bin files (that might be needed)
+  dnl
+  AC_DEFUN([V8_SEARCH_BLOB], [
+	AC_MSG_CHECKING([for $1])
+	blob_found=0
 
-  dnl building for v8 4.4.10 or later, which requires us to
-  dnl provide startup data, if V8 wasn't compiled with snapshot=off.
-  AC_MSG_CHECKING([whether V8 requires startup data])
-  AC_TRY_RUN([
-	  #include <v8.h>
-	  #include <libplatform/libplatform.h>
-	  #include <stdlib.h>
-	  #include <string.h>
-
-class ArrayBufferAllocator : public v8::ArrayBuffer::Allocator {
-public:
-  virtual void* Allocate(size_t length) {
-	  void* data = AllocateUninitialized(length);
-	  return data == NULL ? data : memset(data, 0, length);
-  }
-  virtual void* AllocateUninitialized(size_t length) { return malloc(length); }
-  virtual void Free(void* data, size_t) { free(data); }
-};
-
-	  int main ()
-	  {
-		  v8::Platform *v8_platform = v8::platform::CreateDefaultPlatform();
-		  v8::V8::InitializePlatform(v8_platform);
-		  v8::V8::Initialize();
-
-		  static ArrayBufferAllocator array_buffer_allocator;
-		  v8::Isolate::CreateParams create_params;
-		  create_params.array_buffer_allocator = &array_buffer_allocator;
-
-		  v8::Isolate::New(create_params);
-		  return 0;
-	  }
-  ], [
-	  AC_MSG_RESULT([no])
-  ], [
-	  AC_MSG_RESULT([yes])
-	  AC_DEFINE([PHP_V8_USE_EXTERNAL_STARTUP_DATA], [1], [Whether V8 requires (and can be provided with custom versions of) external startup data])
-
-	  SEARCH_PATH="$V8_DIR/lib $V8_DIR/share/v8"
-
-	  AC_MSG_CHECKING([for natives_blob.bin])
-	  SEARCH_FOR="natives_blob.bin"
-
-	  for i in $SEARCH_PATH ; do
-		if test -r $i/$SEARCH_FOR; then
-		  AC_MSG_RESULT([found ($i/$SEARCH_FOR)])
-		  AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED([PHP_V8_NATIVES_BLOB_PATH], "$i/$SEARCH_FOR", [Full path to natives_blob.bin file])
-		  native_blob_found=1
-		fi
-	  done
-
-	  if test -z "$native_blob_found"; then
-		AC_MSG_RESULT([not found])
-		AC_MSG_ERROR([Please provide V8 native blob as needed])
+	for i in "$V8_DIR/$PHP_LIBDIR" "$V8_DIR/share/v8"; do
+	  if test -r "$i/$1"; then
+		AC_MSG_RESULT([found ($i/$1)])
+		AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED([$2], "$i/$1", [Full path to $1 file])
+		blob_found=1
 	  fi
+	done
 
-	  AC_MSG_CHECKING([for snapshot_blob.bin])
-	  SEARCH_FOR="snapshot_blob.bin"
-
-	  for i in $SEARCH_PATH ; do
-		if test -r $i/$SEARCH_FOR; then
-		  AC_MSG_RESULT([found ($i/$SEARCH_FOR)])
-		  AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED([PHP_V8_SNAPSHOT_BLOB_PATH], "$i/$SEARCH_FOR", [Full path to snapshot_blob.bin file])
-		  snapshot_blob_found=1
-		fi
-	  done
-
-	  if test -z "$snapshot_blob_found"; then
-		AC_MSG_RESULT([not found])
-		AC_MSG_ERROR([Please provide V8 snapshot blob as needed])
-	  fi
+	if test "$blob_found" -ne 1; then
+	  AC_MSG_RESULT([not found])
+	fi
   ])
+  V8_SEARCH_BLOB([natives_blob.bin], [PHP_V8_NATIVES_BLOB_PATH])
+  V8_SEARCH_BLOB([snapshot_blob.bin], [PHP_V8_SNAPSHOT_BLOB_PATH])
+
 
   AC_LANG_RESTORE
   LIBS=$old_LIBS
-  LDFLAGS="$old_LDFLAGS $LDFLAGS_libplatform"
+  LDFLAGS="$old_LDFLAGS"
   CPPFLAGS=$old_CPPFLAGS
 
-
+  PHP_ADD_INCLUDE($V8_DIR)
   PHP_NEW_EXTENSION(v8js, [	\
     v8js_array_access.cc	\
     v8js.cc					\
diff --git a/v8js_v8.cc b/v8js_v8.cc
index 8e12015..1a3d081 100644
--- a/v8js_v8.cc
+++ b/v8js_v8.cc
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ void v8js_v8_init(TSRMLS_D) /* {{{ */
 	}
 #endif
 
-#ifdef PHP_V8_USE_EXTERNAL_STARTUP_DATA
+#if defined(PHP_V8_NATIVES_BLOB_PATH) && defined(PHP_V8_SNAPSHOT_BLOB_PATH)
 	/* V8 doesn't work without startup data, load it. */
 	v8::V8::InitializeExternalStartupData(
 		PHP_V8_NATIVES_BLOB_PATH,