diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 58807a81cf..9b4b2902dd 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -393,6 +393,12 @@ AC_CHECK_TYPE([struct ifreq],
         #include <net/if.h>
   ]])
 
+AC_CHECK_TYPE([struct sockpeercred],
+  [AC_DEFINE([HAVE_STRUCT_SOCKPEERCRED], [1],
+    [Defined if struct sockpeercred is available])],
+  [], [[#include <sys/socket.h>
+  ]])
+
 AC_CHECK_DECLS([ETH_FLAG_TXVLAN, ETH_FLAG_NTUPLE, ETH_FLAG_RXHASH, ETH_FLAG_LRO,
                 ETHTOOL_GGSO, ETHTOOL_GGRO, ETHTOOL_GFLAGS, ETHTOOL_GFEATURES],
   [], [], [[#include <linux/ethtool.h>
diff --git a/src/rpc/virnetsocket.c b/src/rpc/virnetsocket.c
index 526d2919fb..4f67c8f50c 100644
--- a/src/rpc/virnetsocket.c
+++ b/src/rpc/virnetsocket.c
@@ -1259,7 +1259,11 @@ int virNetSocketGetUNIXIdentity(virNetSocketPtr sock,
                                 pid_t *pid,
                                 unsigned long long *timestamp)
 {
+# if defined(HAVE_STRUCT_SOCKPEERCRED)
+    struct sockpeercred cr;
+# else
     struct ucred cr;
+# endif
     socklen_t cr_len = sizeof(cr);
     int ret = -1;