diff --git a/configure b/configure
index b05c37685a..75c7c3526c 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -4710,6 +4710,20 @@ if test "$modules" = "yes" && test "$LD_REL_FLAGS" = ""; then
   feature_not_found "modules" "Cannot find how to build relocatable objects"
 fi
 
+##########################################
+# check for sysmacros.h
+
+have_sysmacros=no
+cat > $TMPC << EOF
+#include <sys/sysmacros.h>
+int main(void) {
+    return makedev(0, 0);
+}
+EOF
+if compile_prog "" "" ; then
+    have_sysmacros=yes
+fi
+
 ##########################################
 # End of CC checks
 # After here, no more $cc or $ld runs
@@ -5676,6 +5690,10 @@ if test "$have_af_vsock" = "yes" ; then
   echo "CONFIG_AF_VSOCK=y" >> $config_host_mak
 fi
 
+if test "$have_sysmacros" = "yes" ; then
+  echo "CONFIG_SYSMACROS=y" >> $config_host_mak
+fi
+
 # Hold two types of flag:
 #   CONFIG_THREAD_SETNAME_BYTHREAD  - we've got a way of setting the name on
 #                                     a thread we have a handle to
diff --git a/include/sysemu/os-posix.h b/include/sysemu/os-posix.h
index b0a6c0695b..900bdcb45a 100644
--- a/include/sysemu/os-posix.h
+++ b/include/sysemu/os-posix.h
@@ -34,6 +34,10 @@
 #include <netdb.h>
 #include <sys/un.h>
 
+#ifdef CONFIG_SYSMACROS
+#include <sys/sysmacros.h>
+#endif
+
 void os_set_line_buffering(void);
 void os_set_proc_name(const char *s);
 void os_setup_signal_handling(void);