diff --git a/examples/kni/Makefile b/examples/kni/Makefile
index fa9fa85319..bbf3bcae12 100644
--- a/examples/kni/Makefile
+++ b/examples/kni/Makefile
@@ -27,6 +27,8 @@ CFLAGS += -DALLOW_EXPERIMENTAL_API
 LDFLAGS_SHARED = $(shell $(PKGCONF) --libs libdpdk)
 LDFLAGS_STATIC = $(shell $(PKGCONF) --static --libs libdpdk)
 
+LDFLAGS += -pthread
+
 build/$(APP)-shared: $(SRCS-y) Makefile $(PC_FILE) | build
 	$(CC) $(CFLAGS) $(SRCS-y) -o $@ $(LDFLAGS) $(LDFLAGS_SHARED)