diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 4c06ee72b..f132e4100 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -468,6 +468,7 @@ LIBS_COMMON=$LIBS
 LIBS=""
 AC_SEARCH_LIBS( connect, socket, , [AC_MSG_ERROR([Cannot find the socket library, needed to build this package.] )] )
 AC_SEARCH_LIBS( nanosleep, rt, , [AC_MSG_ERROR([Cannot find the rt library, needed to build this package.] )] )
+AC_SEARCH_LIBS( pthread_create, pthread, , [AC_MSG_ERROR([Cannot find the pthread library, needed to build this package.] )] )
 AC_SEARCH_LIBS( setupterm, [ncurses curses], , [AC_MSG_ERROR([Could not find a curses implementation, needed to build fish])] )
 AC_SEARCH_LIBS( [nan], [m], [AC_DEFINE( [HAVE_NAN], [1], [Define to 1 if you have the nan function])] )
 LIBS_SHARED=$LIBS