diff --git a/qemu-bridge-helper.c b/qemu-bridge-helper.c
index aec5008..652eec9 100644
--- a/qemu-bridge-helper.c
+++ b/qemu-bridge-helper.c
@@ -35,6 +35,10 @@
 
 #include <linux/sockios.h>
 
+#ifndef SIOCBRADDIF
+#include <linux/if_bridge.h>
+#endif
+
 #include "qemu-queue.h"
 
 #include "net/tap-linux.h"
@@ -221,6 +225,10 @@
 int main(int argc, char **argv)
 {
     struct ifreq ifr;
+#ifndef SIOCBRADDIF
+    unsigned long ifargs[4];
+#endif
+    int ifindex;
     int fd, ctlfd, unixfd = -1;
     int use_vnet = 0;
     int mtu;
@@ -361,9 +369,19 @@
 
     /* add the interface to the bridge */
     prep_ifreq(&ifr, bridge);
-    ifr.ifr_ifindex = if_nametoindex(iface);
-
-    if (ioctl(ctlfd, SIOCBRADDIF, &ifr) == -1) {
+    ifindex = if_nametoindex(iface);
+#ifndef SIOCBRADDIF
+    ifargs[0] = BRCTL_ADD_IF;
+    ifargs[1] = ifindex;
+    ifargs[2] = 0;
+    ifargs[3] = 0;
+    ifr.ifr_data = (void *)ifargs;
+    ret = ioctl(ctlfd, SIOCDEVPRIVATE, &ifr);
+#else
+    ifr.ifr_ifindex = ifindex;
+    ret = ioctl(ctlfd, SIOCBRADDIF, &ifr);
+#endif
+    if (ret == -1) {
         fprintf(stderr, "failed to add interface `%s' to bridge `%s': %s\n",
                 iface, bridge, strerror(errno));
         ret = EXIT_FAILURE;