diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index bee40ce3..16d6a2ef 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -57,6 +57,8 @@ AC_CHECK_HEADERS([termios.h linux/kd.h sys/kd.h libgen.h])
 AC_CHECK_MEMBERS([struct sysinfo.totalram],[],[],[AC_INCLUDES_DEFAULT
 		  #include <sys/sysinfo.h>
 		  ])
+AC_CHECK_TYPES([sighandler_t],[],[],[AC_INCLUDES_DEFAULT
+#include <signal.h>])
 AC_CHECK_FUNCS([swapctl])
 AC_CHECK_FUNCS([asprintf])
 
diff --git a/lib/igt_core.c b/lib/igt_core.c
index 0f8a5bba..0d0e80cf 100644
--- a/lib/igt_core.c
+++ b/lib/igt_core.c
@@ -1206,6 +1206,10 @@ void igt_waitchildren(void)
 #define MAX_SIGNALS		32
 #define MAX_EXIT_HANDLERS	10
 
+#ifndef HAVE_SIGHANDLER_T
+typedef void (*sighandler_t)(int);
+#endif
+
 static struct {
 	sighandler_t handler;
 	bool installed;