diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index af0435a43c..76c430c4b9 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -2573,8 +2573,11 @@ dnl *** openh264 ***
 translit(dnm, m, l) AM_CONDITIONAL(USE_OPENH264, true)
 AG_GST_CHECK_FEATURE(OPENH264, [openh264 library], openh264, [
   HAVE_OPENH264="yes"
+  saved_LIBS="$LIBS"
+  LIBS="-lpthread $LIBS"
   AG_GST_CHECK_LIBHEADER(OPENH264, openh264, WelsSnprintf, ,wels/codec_api.h,
     OPENH264_LIBS="-lopenh264", HAVE_OPENH264="no")
+  LIBS=$saved_LIBS
   AC_SUBST(OPENH264_LIBS)
 ])