diff --git a/src/Makefile.am b/src/Makefile.am
index 39adeac08c..9f27fcfa74 100644
--- a/src/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/Makefile.am
@@ -312,10 +312,14 @@ PDWTAGS = \
 	fi
 
 # .libs/libvirt.so is built by libtool as a side-effect of the Makefile
-# rule for libvirt.la
+# rule for libvirt.la.  However, checking symbols relies on Linux ELF layout
+if WITH_LINUX
 check-symfile: libvirt.syms libvirt.la
 	$(AM_V_GEN)$(PERL) $(srcdir)/check-symfile.pl libvirt.syms \
 	  .libs/libvirt.so
+else
+check-symfile:
+endif
 
 PROTOCOL_STRUCTS = \
 	$(srcdir)/remote_protocol-structs \
diff --git a/src/check-symfile.pl b/src/check-symfile.pl
index 5454f45486..454fed3260 100755
--- a/src/check-symfile.pl
+++ b/src/check-symfile.pl
@@ -8,11 +8,6 @@ my @elflibs = @ARGV;
 my @wantsyms;
 my %gotsyms;
 
-# Skip on non-linux
-if ($^O ne "linux") {
-    return 77; # Automake's skip code
-}
-
 open SYMFILE, $symfile or die "cannot read $symfile: $!";
 
 while (<SYMFILE>) {