diff --git src/external/inotify.m4 src/external/inotify.m4
index 9572f6d..2a5a8cf 100644
--- src/external/inotify.m4
+++ src/external/inotify.m4
@@ -20,10 +20,10 @@ int main () {
     AS_IF([test x"$inotify_works" != xyes],
           [AC_CHECK_LIB([inotify],
                         [inotify_init],
-                        [INOTIFY_LIBS="$sss_extra_libdir -linotify"
+                        [INOTIFY_LIBS="-L$sss_extra_libdir -linotify"
                          inotify_works=yes],
                         [inotify_works=no],
-                        [$sss_extra_libdir])]
+                        [-L$sss_extra_libdir])]
     )
 
     AS_IF([test x"$inotify_works" = xyes],