--- configure.ac
+++ configure.ac
@@ -445,6 +445,11 @@ case $gdk_target in
         ;;
 esac
 
+if test "x$gdk_target" = "xquartz"; then
+  AM_CONDITIONAL(USE_QUARTZ, true)
+else
+  AM_CONDITIONAL(USE_QUARTZ, false)
+fi
 
 dnl checks to see if numpy is installed.
 AC_ARG_ENABLE(numpy,
--- gtk/Makefile.am
+++ gtk/Makefile.am
@@ -9,6 +9,11 @@ INCLUDES = \
 	$(PYGOBJECT_CFLAGS) \
 	-I$(srcdir)/gtk
 
+if USE_QUARTZ
+# same as in gtk+/gdk/quartz/Makefile.am
+INCLUDES += "-xobjective-c"
+endif
+
 # defs files
 defsdir = $(pkgdatadir)/$(PLATFORM_VERSION)/defs
 defs_DATA =
