diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 0eccfb39d3..88e19c6ecd 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -2566,6 +2566,7 @@ AG_GST_CHECK_FEATURE(OPENJPEG, [openjpeg library], openjpeg, [
   CFLAGS="$save_CFLAGS"
 
   if test x"$HAVE_OPENJPEG" = x"no"; then
+    OPENJPEG_LIBS=""
     PKG_CHECK_MODULES(OPENJPEG, libopenjpeg1,
       HAVE_OPENJPEG="yes",
       AG_GST_CHECK_LIBHEADER(OPENJPEG, openjpeg, opj_version, , openjpeg.h, OPENJPEG_LIBS="-lopenjpeg")