diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 6569402065..91e79c776e 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -946,9 +946,13 @@ fi
 dnl
 dnl check for kernel headers required by src/bridge.c
 dnl
-if test "$with_qemu" = "yes" || test "$with_lxc" = "yes" ; then
-  AC_CHECK_HEADERS([linux/param.h linux/sockios.h linux/if_bridge.h linux/if_tun.h],,
-                   AC_MSG_ERROR([You must install kernel-headers in order to compile libvirt with QEMU or LXC support]))
+if test "$with_linux" = "yes"; then
+  if test "$with_qemu" = "yes" || test "$with_lxc" = "yes" ; then
+    AC_CHECK_HEADERS([linux/param.h linux/sockios.h linux/if_bridge.h linux/if_tun.h],,
+      [AC_MSG_ERROR([You must install kernel-headers in order to compile libvirt with QEMU or LXC support])],
+      [[#include <netinet/ip6.h>
+      ]])
+  fi
 fi