diff --git a/c/src/exec/posix/include/rtems/posix/semaphore.h b/c/src/exec/posix/include/rtems/posix/semaphore.h
index aaf0c4b898..da6b65c642 100644
--- a/c/src/exec/posix/include/rtems/posix/semaphore.h
+++ b/c/src/exec/posix/include/rtems/posix/semaphore.h
@@ -23,6 +23,8 @@ extern "C" {
 
 #include <rtems/score/coresem.h>
 
+#define SEM_FAILED (sem_t *) -1
+
 /*
  *  Data Structure used to manage a POSIX semaphore
  */
diff --git a/cpukit/posix/include/rtems/posix/semaphore.h b/cpukit/posix/include/rtems/posix/semaphore.h
index aaf0c4b898..da6b65c642 100644
--- a/cpukit/posix/include/rtems/posix/semaphore.h
+++ b/cpukit/posix/include/rtems/posix/semaphore.h
@@ -23,6 +23,8 @@ extern "C" {
 
 #include <rtems/score/coresem.h>
 
+#define SEM_FAILED (sem_t *) -1
+
 /*
  *  Data Structure used to manage a POSIX semaphore
  */