diff --git a/configure b/configure
index 814cdfa65a..644a902e09 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -13491,10 +13491,11 @@ CFLAGS="${CFLAGS} -Werror -Wmissing-braces"
 cat confdefs.h - <<_ACEOF >conftest.$ac_ext
 /* end confdefs.h.  */
 #include <pthread.h>
+     void empty(){}
 int
 main ()
 {
-pthread_once_t once = PTHREAD_ONCE_INIT;
+pthread_once_t once = PTHREAD_ONCE_INIT; pthread_once(&once, empty);
   ;
   return 0;
 }
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index e25f26d7c9..15d777dbdd 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -533,8 +533,9 @@ saved_CFLAGS="${CFLAGS}"
 CFLAGS="${CFLAGS} -Werror -Wmissing-braces"
 AC_COMPILE_IFELSE(
   [AC_LANG_PROGRAM(
-    [#include <pthread.h>],
-	[pthread_once_t once = PTHREAD_ONCE_INIT;])
+    [#include <pthread.h>
+     void empty(){}],
+	[pthread_once_t once = PTHREAD_ONCE_INIT; pthread_once(&once, empty);])
   ],[
     AC_MSG_RESULT(no)
     ac_cv_pthread_once_needsbraces="no"