diff --git a/src/locking/lock_driver_sanlock.c b/src/locking/lock_driver_sanlock.c
index 16941c90cb..9668ca960d 100644
--- a/src/locking/lock_driver_sanlock.c
+++ b/src/locking/lock_driver_sanlock.c
@@ -55,6 +55,14 @@
 
 #define VIR_LOCK_MANAGER_SANLOCK_AUTO_DISK_LOCKSPACE "__LIBVIRT__DISKS__"
 
+/*
+ * temporary fix for the case where the sanlock devel package is
+ * too old to provide that define, and probably the functionality too
+ */
+#ifndef SANLK_RES_SHARED
+#define SANLK_RES_SHARED    0x4
+#endif
+
 typedef struct _virLockManagerSanlockDriver virLockManagerSanlockDriver;
 typedef virLockManagerSanlockDriver *virLockManagerSanlockDriverPtr;