diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index 6db6f32..8a0d1c1 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -71,6 +71,9 @@
   script:
     - start_section build_perl_dependencies "Installing Perl dependencies"
     - cpanm -n -l $PERL_LOCAL_LIB_ROOT https://github.com/Akron/Mojolicious-Plugin-Localize.git
+    # Makefile.PL uses Devel::CheckLib to look for libcollocatordb, so it has to
+    # be there before --installdeps can determine the dependencies at all
+    - cpanm -n -l $PERL_LOCAL_LIB_ROOT Devel::CheckLib
     - cpanm -n -l $PERL_LOCAL_LIB_ROOT --installdeps .
     - end_section build_perl_dependencies
 
diff --git a/Makefile.PL b/Makefile.PL
index c1e829f..2f5d85a 100644
--- a/Makefile.PL
+++ b/Makefile.PL
@@ -21,6 +21,11 @@
     ABSTRACT       => 'Visualization of paradigmatic and syntagmatic word relations.',
     VERSION_FROM   => 'script/derekovecs-server',
     LICENSE        => 'apache',
+    # this file uses Devel::CheckLib itself, so installers have to provide it
+    # before they can even run it
+    CONFIGURE_REQUIRES => {
+     'Devel::CheckLib' => '1.16',
+    },
     BUILD_REQUIRES => {
      'Test::More' => 0,
      'Test::TempFile' => 0,