diff --git a/test/Makefile.am b/test/Makefile.am
index 9b047325..aa165032 100644
--- a/test/Makefile.am
+++ b/test/Makefile.am
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ if BUILD_TESTS
 AM_CPPFLAGS = -I$(top_srcdir)/src 
 
 run_tests =
-build_tests = test-build-pedantic-c99 test-build-std-gnuc90
+build_tests = test-build-linker test-build-pedantic-c99 test-build-std-gnuc90
 
 noinst_PROGRAMS = $(build_tests) $(run_tests)
 TESTS = $(run_tests)
@@ -14,4 +14,9 @@ test_build_pedantic_c99_CFLAGS = $(AM_CPPFLAGS) -std=c99 -pedantic -Werror
 test_build_std_gnuc90_SOURCES = build-pedantic.c
 test_build_std_gnuc90_CFLAGS = $(AM_CPPFLAGS) -std=gnu90 -Werror
 
+# test for linking with the minimal linker flags
+test_build_linker_SOURCES = build-pedantic.c
+test_build_linker_CFLAGS = -I$(top_srcdir)/src
+test_build_linker_LDADD = $(top_builddir)/src/libinput.la
+
 endif