diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 0dd3c94c61..f939bbb9c1 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -145,6 +145,9 @@ AC_CHECK_FUNCS(clock_gettime, [], [
   ])
 ])
 
+dnl check for pthreads
+AX_PTHREAD
+
 dnl *** checks for header files ***
 
 dnl check if we have ANSI C header files
diff --git a/tests/check/Makefile.am b/tests/check/Makefile.am
index 0bef431d68..92f6a290f3 100644
--- a/tests/check/Makefile.am
+++ b/tests/check/Makefile.am
@@ -403,7 +403,7 @@ TESTS = $(check_PROGRAMS)
 AM_CFLAGS = $(GST_OBJ_CFLAGS) $(GST_CHECK_CFLAGS) $(CHECK_CFLAGS) \
 	$(GST_OPTION_CFLAGS) $(GST_CFLAGS) -DGST_TEST_FILES_PATH="\"$(TEST_FILES_DIRECTORY)\"" \
 	-DGST_CHECK_TEST_ENVIRONMENT_BEACON="\"GST_PLUGIN_LOADING_WHITELIST\"" \
-	-UG_DISABLE_ASSERT -UG_DISABLE_CAST_CHECKS
+	-UG_DISABLE_ASSERT -UG_DISABLE_CAST_CHECKS $(PTHREAD_CFLAGS)
 LDADD = $(GST_OBJ_LIBS) $(GST_CHECK_LIBS) $(CHECK_LIBS)
 
 # valgrind testing