diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index eb54df0e..0029963d 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@ if test "x$enable_plugins" = xno; then
     AM_CONDITIONAL([BUILD_C_API], [false])
 elif test "x$enable_c_plugins" != xno; then
     AC_CHECK_LIB([dl], [main],
-        [AM_CONDITIONAL([BUILD_C_API], [true]) AC_DEFINE([HAVE_C], [1], [C support])],
+        [AM_CONDITIONAL([BUILD_C_API], [true]) LIBS="$LIBS -ldl" AC_DEFINE([HAVE_C], [1], [C support])],
         [AS_IF(
             [test "x$enable_c_plugins" = xyes],
                 [AC_MSG_ERROR([dl library needed to run C plugins])],