diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -8,7 +8,8 @@ AM_CPPFLAGS = -DSYSCONFDIR='"$(sysconfdi
 	-I$(top_srcdir)/src \
 	-I$(top_builddir)/src
 AM_CFLAGS = $(DISTLIBS_CFLAGS)
-LIBS = $(DISTLIBS_LIBS)
+# we need the clock_gettime() function
+LIBS = $(DISTLIBS_LIBS) -lrt
 
 bin_PROGRAMS = distren
 if ENABLE_SERVER
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -74,9 +74,6 @@ dnl made:
 AC_DEFINE_DIR([LOCALSTATEDIR], [localstatedir], [Default directory for storing state information])
 AC_DEFINE_DIR([RUNSTATEDIR], [localstatedir/run], [Default directory for registering runtime information like pid-files])
 
-# we need the clock_gettime() function
-LIBS="$LIBS -lrt"
-
 AC_CONFIG_FILES([Makefile
 	libdistren.pc
 	etc/distrendaemon.conf