diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index c342cb34d5..e2b437bc20 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -1660,6 +1660,7 @@
         fi
     fi
 
+    AM_CONDITIONAL([HTP_LDADD], [test "x${HTP_LDADD}" != "x"])
 
   # Check for libcap-ng
     case $host in
diff --git a/examples/lib/simple/Makefile.am b/examples/lib/simple/Makefile.am
index 9ebc9a358e..afc6505c3b 100644
--- a/examples/lib/simple/Makefile.am
+++ b/examples/lib/simple/Makefile.am
@@ -5,5 +5,8 @@ simple_SOURCES = main.c
 AM_CPPFLAGS = -I$(top_srcdir)/src
 
 simple_LDFLAGS = $(all_libraries) $(SECLDFLAGS)
-simple_LDADD = $(top_builddir)/src/libsuricata_c.a ../../$(RUST_SURICATA_LIB) ../../$(HTP_LDADD) $(RUST_LDADD)
+simple_LDADD = $(top_builddir)/src/libsuricata_c.a ../../$(RUST_SURICATA_LIB) $(RUST_LDADD)
+if HTP_LDADD
+simple_LDADD += ../../$(HTP_LDADD)
+endif
 simple_DEPENDENCIES = $(top_builddir)/src/libsuricata_c.a ../../$(RUST_SURICATA_LIB)