diff --git a/lib/isc/include/isc/urcu.h b/lib/isc/include/isc/urcu.h
index 5f4051d455..a52bdb0b78 100644
--- a/lib/isc/include/isc/urcu.h
+++ b/lib/isc/include/isc/urcu.h
@@ -15,6 +15,10 @@
 
 #include <isc/util.h>
 
+/* when urcu is not installed in a system header location */
+#pragma GCC diagnostic push
+#pragma GCC diagnostic ignored "-Wunused-parameter"
+
 /* Inline small (less than 10 lines) functions */
 #define URCU_INLINE_SMALL_FUNCTIONS
 
@@ -30,6 +34,8 @@
 #include <urcu/rculfhash.h>
 #include <urcu/rculist.h>
 
+#pragma GCC diagnostic pop
+
 #if defined(RCU_QSBR)
 
 /*
diff --git a/tests/bench/Makefile.am b/tests/bench/Makefile.am
index 749b7dc49c..3b2bd54f31 100644
--- a/tests/bench/Makefile.am
+++ b/tests/bench/Makefile.am
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ AM_CFLAGS += -Wno-vla
 
 AM_CPPFLAGS +=				\
 	$(LIBUV_CFLAGS)			\
+	$(LIBURCU_CFLAGS)		\
 	$(LIBISC_CFLAGS)		\
 	$(LIBDNS_CFLAGS)		\
 	-I$(top_srcdir)/fuzz		\
@@ -13,6 +14,7 @@ AM_CPPFLAGS +=				\
 
 LDADD +=				\
 	$(LIBUV_LIBS)			\
+	$(LIBURCU_LIBS)			\
 	$(LIBISC_LIBS)			\
 	$(LIBDNS_LIBS)			\
 	$(top_builddir)/tests/libtest/libtest.la
diff --git a/tests/dns/Makefile.am b/tests/dns/Makefile.am
index 137a159221..5469e89043 100644
--- a/tests/dns/Makefile.am
+++ b/tests/dns/Makefile.am
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ AM_CPPFLAGS +=				\
 	$(LIBISC_CFLAGS)		\
 	$(LIBDNS_CFLAGS)		\
 	$(LIBUV_CFLAGS)			\
+	$(LIBURCU_CFLAGS)		\
 	$(KRB5_CFLAGS)			\
 	-DSRCDIR=\"$(abs_srcdir)\"	\
 	-DBUILDDIR=\"$(abs_builddir)\"	\
@@ -13,6 +14,7 @@ AM_CPPFLAGS +=				\
 LDADD +=				\
 	$(LIBISC_LIBS)			\
 	$(LIBUV_LIBS)			\
+	$(LIBURCU_LIBS)			\
 	$(LIBDNS_LIBS)
 
 check_PROGRAMS =		\
diff --git a/tests/isc/Makefile.am b/tests/isc/Makefile.am
index c6c99822c0..0db34d7ace 100644
--- a/tests/isc/Makefile.am
+++ b/tests/isc/Makefile.am
@@ -2,11 +2,13 @@ include $(top_srcdir)/Makefile.top
 
 AM_CPPFLAGS +=			\
 	$(LIBISC_CFLAGS)	\
+	$(LIBURCU_CFLAGS)	\
 	$(LIBUV_CFLAGS)		\
 	-I$(top_srcdir)/lib/isc
 
 LDADD +=			\
 	$(LIBISC_LIBS)		\
+	$(LIBURCU_LIBS)		\
 	$(LIBUV_LIBS)
 
 check_PROGRAMS =	\