diff --git a/sw/airborne/firmwares/fixedwing/main_ap.c b/sw/airborne/firmwares/fixedwing/main_ap.c
index 4678948b0d..357298de2f 100644
--- a/sw/airborne/firmwares/fixedwing/main_ap.c
+++ b/sw/airborne/firmwares/fixedwing/main_ap.c
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ PRINT_CONFIG_MSG_VALUE("USE_BARO_BOARD is TRUE, reading onboard baro: ", BARO_BO
 #endif
 
 // datalink & telemetry
-#if DATALINK
+#if DATALINK || SITL
 #include "subsystems/datalink/datalink.h"
 #include "subsystems/datalink/downlink.h"
 #endif