diff --git a/lib/librte_pmd_pcap/rte_eth_pcap.c b/lib/librte_pmd_pcap/rte_eth_pcap.c
index e988b4c097..30d444ff25 100644
--- a/lib/librte_pmd_pcap/rte_eth_pcap.c
+++ b/lib/librte_pmd_pcap/rte_eth_pcap.c
@@ -213,6 +213,7 @@ eth_pcap_tx_dumper(void *queue,
 	return num_tx;
 }
 
+#ifdef PCAP_CAN_SEND
 /*
  * Callback to handle sending packets through a real NIC.
  */
@@ -243,6 +244,17 @@ eth_pcap_tx(void *queue,
 	tx_queue->err_pkts += nb_pkts - num_tx;
 	return num_tx;
 }
+#else
+static uint16_t
+eth_pcap_tx(__rte_unused void *queue,
+		__rte_unused struct rte_mbuf **bufs,
+		__rte_unused uint16_t nb_pkts)
+{
+	RTE_LOG(ERR, PMD, "pcap library cannot send packets, please rebuild "
+	                  "with a more up to date libpcap\n");
+	return -1;
+}
+#endif
 
 static int
 eth_dev_start(struct rte_eth_dev *dev)
diff --git a/lib/librte_pmd_pcap/rte_eth_pcap.h b/lib/librte_pmd_pcap/rte_eth_pcap.h
index 1cce7e0751..c45f4a1736 100644
--- a/lib/librte_pmd_pcap/rte_eth_pcap.h
+++ b/lib/librte_pmd_pcap/rte_eth_pcap.h
@@ -39,6 +39,12 @@ extern "C" {
 #endif
 #include <pcap.h>
 
+#ifdef pcap_sendpacket
+#define PCAP_CAN_SEND
+#else
+#undef PCAP_CAN_SEND
+#endif
+
 #define RTE_ETH_PCAP_PARAM_NAME "eth_pcap"
 
 int rte_eth_from_pcaps(pcap_t * const rx_queues[],