diff --git a/subprojects/libvhost-user/libvhost-user.c b/subprojects/libvhost-user/libvhost-user.c
index 0abd898a52..8fb61e2df2 100644
--- a/subprojects/libvhost-user/libvhost-user.c
+++ b/subprojects/libvhost-user/libvhost-user.c
@@ -32,6 +32,12 @@
 #include <sys/mman.h>
 #include <endian.h>
 
+/* Necessary to provide VIRTIO_F_VERSION_1 on system
+ * with older linux headers. Must appear before
+ * <linux/vhost.h> below.
+ */
+#include "standard-headers/linux/virtio_config.h"
+
 #if defined(__linux__)
 #include <sys/syscall.h>
 #include <fcntl.h>