diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 2f3f0beff10..919b717db46 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ dnl Compiler macros
 DEFINES=""
 AC_SUBST([DEFINES])
 case "$host_os" in
-*-gnu*)
+linux*|*-gnu*)
     DEFINES="$DEFINES -D_GNU_SOURCE -DPTHREADS"
     ;;
 solaris*)