diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 87cc9a66..67e74505 100755
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -126,6 +126,12 @@ case $host in
     ;;
 esac
 
+dnl Checks for pthread
+AX_PTHREAD([LIBS="$PTHREAD_LIBS $LIBS"
+            CFLAGS="$CFLAGS $PTHREAD_CFLAGS"
+            CC="$PTHREAD_CC"], AC_MSG_ERROR(Can not find pthreads.  This is required.))
+
+dnl Checks for stack protector
 GGL_CHECK_STACK_PROTECTOR([has_stack_protector=yes], [has_stack_protector=no])
 # XXX - disable -fstack-protector due to missing libssp_nonshared
 case "$host_os" in
@@ -267,10 +273,6 @@ AC_CHECK_LIB(socket, connect)
 dnl Checks for library functions.
 AC_CHECK_FUNCS([malloc memset socket])
 
-AX_PTHREAD([LIBS="$PTHREAD_LIBS $LIBS"
-            CFLAGS="$CFLAGS $PTHREAD_CFLAGS"
-            CC="$PTHREAD_CC"], AC_MSG_ERROR(Can not find pthreads.  This is required.))
-
 AM_COND_IF([USE_SYSTEM_SHARED_LIB],
   [],
   [AC_CONFIG_SUBDIRS([libsodium])])