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