diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index ffc011c02e..4eec91d932 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -1047,7 +1047,7 @@ then
   AC_SUBST(GDK_PIXBUF_LIBS)
 
    # checks for goffice
-  PKG_CHECK_MODULES(GOFFICE, libgoffice-0.8 >= 0.7.0, [goffice=1], [AC_MSG_ERROR([Cannot find libgoffice.>= 0.7.0])])
+  PKG_CHECK_MODULES(GOFFICE, libgoffice-0.8 >= 0.7.0 libgoffice-0.8 < 0.9.0, [goffice=1], [AC_MSG_ERROR([Cannot find libgoffice >= 0.7.0 and < 0.9.0])])
   AS_SCRUB_INCLUDE(GOFFICE_CFLAGS)
   AC_SUBST(GOFFICE_CFLAGS)
   AC_SUBST(GOFFICE_LIBS)