diff --git a/conf/firmwares/rotorcraft.makefile b/conf/firmwares/rotorcraft.makefile
index 067f1b1d83..9b6857bf81 100644
--- a/conf/firmwares/rotorcraft.makefile
+++ b/conf/firmwares/rotorcraft.makefile
@@ -69,6 +69,10 @@ endif
 # Systime
 #
 $(TARGET).srcs += mcu_periph/sys_time.c $(SRC_ARCH)/mcu_periph/sys_time_arch.c
+ifeq ($(ARCH), linux)
+# seems that we need to link against librt for glibc < 2.17
+$(TARGET).LDFLAGS += -lrt
+endif
 
 
 #
diff --git a/conf/firmwares/setup.makefile b/conf/firmwares/setup.makefile
index cfe5d2669b..c234518ab4 100644
--- a/conf/firmwares/setup.makefile
+++ b/conf/firmwares/setup.makefile
@@ -30,6 +30,10 @@ ifneq ($(SYS_TIME_LED),none)
 endif
 COMMON_SETUP_CFLAGS += -DPERIODIC_FREQUENCY=$(PERIODIC_FREQUENCY)
 COMMON_SETUP_SRCS   += mcu_periph/sys_time.c $(SRC_ARCH)/mcu_periph/sys_time_arch.c
+ifeq ($(ARCH), linux)
+# seems that we need to link against librt for glibc < 2.17
+$(TARGET).LDFLAGS += -lrt
+endif
 
 COMMON_SETUP_CFLAGS += -DUSE_LED
 
diff --git a/conf/firmwares/subsystems/fixedwing/autopilot.makefile b/conf/firmwares/subsystems/fixedwing/autopilot.makefile
index d441cd60cd..2789f651c7 100644
--- a/conf/firmwares/subsystems/fixedwing/autopilot.makefile
+++ b/conf/firmwares/subsystems/fixedwing/autopilot.makefile
@@ -71,6 +71,10 @@ endif
 # Sys-time
 #
 $(TARGET).srcs   += mcu_periph/sys_time.c $(SRC_ARCH)/mcu_periph/sys_time_arch.c
+ifeq ($(ARCH), linux)
+# seems that we need to link against librt for glibc < 2.17
+$(TARGET).LDFLAGS += -lrt
+endif
 
 #
 # InterMCU & Commands
diff --git a/conf/firmwares/test_progs.makefile b/conf/firmwares/test_progs.makefile
index ce2d7906ab..7ae2ccf827 100644
--- a/conf/firmwares/test_progs.makefile
+++ b/conf/firmwares/test_progs.makefile
@@ -54,6 +54,10 @@ ifneq ($(SYS_TIME_LED),none)
 endif
 COMMON_TEST_CFLAGS += -DPERIODIC_FREQUENCY=$(PERIODIC_FREQUENCY)
 COMMON_TEST_SRCS   += mcu_periph/sys_time.c $(SRC_ARCH)/mcu_periph/sys_time_arch.c
+ifeq ($(ARCH), linux)
+# seems that we need to link agains librt for glibc < 2.17
+$(TARGET).LDFLAGS += -lrt
+endif
 
 COMMON_TEST_CFLAGS += -DUSE_LED