diff --git a/Modules/pwdmodule.c b/Modules/pwdmodule.c
index 281c30b26ee..c5032562e61 100644
--- a/Modules/pwdmodule.c
+++ b/Modules/pwdmodule.c
@@ -75,10 +75,18 @@ mkpwent(struct passwd *p)
 #define SETS(i,val) sets(v, i, val)
 
     SETS(setIndex++, p->pw_name);
+#if defined(HAVE_STRUCT_PASSWD_PW_PASSWD)
     SETS(setIndex++, p->pw_passwd);
+#else
+    SETS(setIndex++, "");
+#endif
     PyStructSequence_SET_ITEM(v, setIndex++, _PyLong_FromUid(p->pw_uid));
     PyStructSequence_SET_ITEM(v, setIndex++, _PyLong_FromGid(p->pw_gid));
+#if defined(HAVE_STRUCT_PASSWD_PW_GECOS)
     SETS(setIndex++, p->pw_gecos);
+#else
+    SETS(setIndex++, "");
+#endif
     SETS(setIndex++, p->pw_dir);
     SETS(setIndex++, p->pw_shell);
 
diff --git a/configure b/configure
index ee8a8fcbb16..a961f397121 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -12916,6 +12916,33 @@ cat >>confdefs.h <<_ACEOF
 _ACEOF
 
 
+fi
+
+ac_fn_c_check_member "$LINENO" "struct passwd" "pw_gecos" "ac_cv_member_struct_passwd_pw_gecos" "
+  #include <sys/types.h>
+  #include <pwd.h>
+
+"
+if test "x$ac_cv_member_struct_passwd_pw_gecos" = xyes; then :
+
+cat >>confdefs.h <<_ACEOF
+#define HAVE_STRUCT_PASSWD_PW_GECOS 1
+_ACEOF
+
+
+fi
+ac_fn_c_check_member "$LINENO" "struct passwd" "pw_passwd" "ac_cv_member_struct_passwd_pw_passwd" "
+  #include <sys/types.h>
+  #include <pwd.h>
+
+"
+if test "x$ac_cv_member_struct_passwd_pw_passwd" = xyes; then :
+
+cat >>confdefs.h <<_ACEOF
+#define HAVE_STRUCT_PASSWD_PW_PASSWD 1
+_ACEOF
+
+
 fi
 
 
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 7a6b5be211d..bfd2b040514 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -3762,6 +3762,10 @@ AC_CHECK_MEMBERS([struct stat.st_flags])
 AC_CHECK_MEMBERS([struct stat.st_gen])
 AC_CHECK_MEMBERS([struct stat.st_birthtime])
 AC_CHECK_MEMBERS([struct stat.st_blocks])
+AC_CHECK_MEMBERS([struct passwd.pw_gecos, struct passwd.pw_passwd], [], [], [[
+  #include <sys/types.h>
+  #include <pwd.h>
+]])
 
 AC_MSG_CHECKING(for time.h that defines altzone)
 AC_CACHE_VAL(ac_cv_header_time_altzone,[
diff --git a/pyconfig.h.in b/pyconfig.h.in
index d432a821a57..b51bd56fd62 100644
--- a/pyconfig.h.in
+++ b/pyconfig.h.in
@@ -916,6 +916,12 @@
 /* Define to 1 if you have the <stropts.h> header file. */
 #undef HAVE_STROPTS_H
 
+/* Define to 1 if `pw_gecos' is a member of `struct passwd'. */
+#undef HAVE_STRUCT_PASSWD_PW_GECOS
+
+/* Define to 1 if `pw_passwd' is a member of `struct passwd'. */
+#undef HAVE_STRUCT_PASSWD_PW_PASSWD
+
 /* Define to 1 if `st_birthtime' is a member of `struct stat'. */
 #undef HAVE_STRUCT_STAT_ST_BIRTHTIME