diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index aaedabb8f..887c26dc9 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -286,6 +286,9 @@ AC_CHECK_FUNCS([fgetln],
 	AC_DEFINE(HAVE_FGETLN,1,[Have fgetln]),
 	AM_CONDITIONAL(HAVE_FGETLN, false))
 
+# Check for some libraries
+AC_SEARCH_LIBS(sem_open, [rt pthread])
+
 # Check for some standard binaries
 AC_PROG_GCC_TRADITIONAL
 AC_PROG_SED
diff --git a/src/lxc/Makefile.am b/src/lxc/Makefile.am
index 8974ca947..aba2e6754 100644
--- a/src/lxc/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/lxc/Makefile.am
@@ -114,10 +114,6 @@ liblxc_so_LDFLAGS = \
 
 liblxc_so_LDADD = $(CAP_LIBS) $(APPARMOR_LIBS) $(SECCOMP_LIBS)
 
-if !IS_BIONIC
-liblxc_so_LDADD += -lutil -lrt
-endif
-
 bin_SCRIPTS = \
 	lxc-ps \
 	lxc-netstat \
@@ -172,10 +168,6 @@ AM_LDFLAGS += -Wl,-rpath -Wl,$(libdir)
 endif
 LDADD=liblxc.so @CAP_LIBS@ @APPARMOR_LIBS@ @SECCOMP_LIBS@
 
-if !IS_BIONIC
-LDADD += -lrt
-endif
-
 lxc_attach_SOURCES = lxc_attach.c
 lxc_cgroup_SOURCES = lxc_cgroup.c
 lxc_checkpoint_SOURCES = lxc_checkpoint.c
diff --git a/src/tests/Makefile.am b/src/tests/Makefile.am
index a883d3658..0f4ee1dc3 100644
--- a/src/tests/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/tests/Makefile.am
@@ -2,10 +2,6 @@ if ENABLE_TESTS
 
 LDADD = ../lxc/liblxc.so
 
-if !IS_BIONIC
-LDADD += -lpthread
-endif
-
 lxc_test_containertests_SOURCES = containertests.c
 lxc_test_locktests_SOURCES = locktests.c
 lxc_test_startone_SOURCES = startone.c