diff --git a/package/shadowsocks-libev/shadowsocks-libev.mk b/package/shadowsocks-libev/shadowsocks-libev.mk
index caae2176b4..7fdcd3f772 100644
--- a/package/shadowsocks-libev/shadowsocks-libev.mk
+++ b/package/shadowsocks-libev/shadowsocks-libev.mk
@@ -14,4 +14,11 @@ SHADOWSOCKS_LIBEV_CONF_OPTS = \
 	--with-pcre=$(STAGING_DIR)/usr \
 	--disable-ssp
 
+# gcc on riscv doesn't define _REENTRANT when -pthread is passed while
+# it should. Compensate this deficiency here otherwise shadowsocks-libev
+# configure script doesn't find that thread support is enabled.
+ifeq ($(BR2_riscv),y)
+SHADOWSOCKS_LIBEV_CONF_ENV += CFLAGS="$(TARGET_CFLAGS) -D_REENTRANT"
+endif
+
 $(eval $(autotools-package))