diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 2c33d77779..df39df2fba 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -874,6 +874,9 @@ if test "$with_lxc" = "yes" || test "$with_lxc" = "check"; then
         unshare (!(LO_FLAGS_AUTOCLEAR + EPOLL_CLOEXEC));
     ], [
         with_lxc=yes
+       AC_DEFINE([HAVE_DECL_LO_FLAGS_AUTOCLEAR], [1],
+         [Define to 1 if you have the declaration of `LO_FLAGS_AUTOCLEAR',
+         and to 0 if you don't.])
     ], [
         if test "$with_lxc" = "check"; then
             with_lxc=no
diff --git a/src/util/virfile.c b/src/util/virfile.c
index 6a4386974e..dd64e88a03 100644
--- a/src/util/virfile.c
+++ b/src/util/virfile.c
@@ -497,7 +497,7 @@ int virFileUpdatePerm(const char *path,
 }
 
 
-#ifdef __linux__
+#if defined(__linux__) && HAVE_DECL_LO_FLAGS_AUTOCLEAR
 static int virFileLoopDeviceOpen(char **dev_name)
 {
     int fd = -1;