diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index fd468dff..a668e670 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -2130,8 +2130,7 @@ fi
 dnl ============================================================================
 dnl Enable background threads if possible.
 
-if test "x${have_pthread}" = "x1" -a "x${have_dlsym}" = "x1" \
-    -a "x${je_cv_os_unfair_lock}" != "xyes" ; then
+if test "x${have_pthread}" = "x1" -a "x${je_cv_os_unfair_lock}" != "xyes" ; then
   AC_DEFINE([JEMALLOC_BACKGROUND_THREAD])
 fi
 
diff --git a/src/background_thread.c b/src/background_thread.c
index acf8083b..5ed6c1c9 100644
--- a/src/background_thread.c
+++ b/src/background_thread.c
@@ -27,7 +27,6 @@ background_thread_info_t *background_thread_info;
 /******************************************************************************/
 
 #ifdef JEMALLOC_PTHREAD_CREATE_WRAPPER
-#include <dlfcn.h>
 
 static int (*pthread_create_fptr)(pthread_t *__restrict, const pthread_attr_t *,
     void *(*)(void *), void *__restrict);
@@ -820,6 +819,10 @@ background_thread_stats_read(tsdn_t *tsdn, background_thread_stats_t *stats) {
 #undef BILLION
 #undef BACKGROUND_THREAD_MIN_INTERVAL_NS
 
+#ifdef JEMALLOC_HAVE_DLSYM
+#include <dlfcn.h>
+#endif
+
 static bool
 pthread_create_fptr_init(void) {
 	if (pthread_create_fptr != NULL) {
@@ -830,7 +833,11 @@ pthread_create_fptr_init(void) {
 	 * wrapper for pthread_create; and 2) application may define its own
 	 * wrapper as well (and can call malloc within the wrapper).
 	 */
+#ifdef JEMALLOC_HAVE_DLSYM
 	pthread_create_fptr = dlsym(RTLD_NEXT, "pthread_create");
+#else
+	pthread_create_fptr = NULL;
+#endif
 	if (pthread_create_fptr == NULL) {
 		if (config_lazy_lock) {
 			malloc_write("<jemalloc>: Error in dlsym(RTLD_NEXT, "