diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 8faa21bdb7..70debd8806 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -1040,8 +1040,8 @@ dnl FIXME: do we want to rename to GST_ALL_* ?
 dnl prefer internal headers to already installed ones
 dnl also add builddir include for enumtypes and marshal
 dnl add ERROR_CFLAGS, but overridable
-GST_CXXFLAGS="$GST_CFLAGS \$(GST_OPTION_CXXFLAGS)"
-GST_CFLAGS="$GST_CFLAGS \$(GST_OPTION_CFLAGS)"
+GST_CXXFLAGS="-I\$(top_srcdir)/gst-libs $GST_CFLAGS \$(GST_OPTION_CXXFLAGS)"
+GST_CFLAGS="-I\$(top_srcdir)/gst-libs $GST_CFLAGS \$(GST_OPTION_CFLAGS)"
 AC_SUBST(GST_CFLAGS)
 AC_SUBST(GST_CXXFLAGS)
 AC_SUBST(GST_LIBS)