diff --git a/vm/os-linux.c b/vm/os-linux.c
index 935add6714..91017fc3f8 100644
--- a/vm/os-linux.c
+++ b/vm/os-linux.c
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@ const char *vm_executable_path(void)
 	}
 }
 
+#ifdef SYS_inotify_init
+
 int inotify_init(void)
 {
 	return syscall(SYS_inotify_init);
@@ -32,3 +34,25 @@ int inotify_rm_watch(int fd, u32 wd)
 {
 	return syscall(SYS_inotify_rm_watch, fd, wd);
 }
+
+#else
+
+int inotify_init(void)
+{
+	not_implemented_error();
+	return -1;
+}
+
+int inotify_add_watch(int fd, const char *name, u32 mask)
+{
+	not_implemented_error();
+	return -1;
+}
+
+int inotify_rm_watch(int fd, u32 wd)
+{
+	not_implemented_error();
+	return -1;
+}
+
+#endif