diff --git a/lib/roken/getaddrinfo.c b/lib/roken/getaddrinfo.c
index 82d8626c7..2f50ae5fb 100644
--- a/lib/roken/getaddrinfo.c
+++ b/lib/roken/getaddrinfo.c
@@ -172,6 +172,13 @@ const_v6 (struct addrinfo *a, void *data, int port)
 }
 #endif
 
+/* this is mostly a hack for some versions of AIX that has a prototype
+   for in6addr_loopback but no actual symbol in libc */
+#if defined(HAVE_IPV6) && !defined(HAVE_IN6ADDR_LOOPBACK) && defined(IN6ADDR_LOOPBACK_INIT)
+#define in6addr_loopback _roken_in6addr_loopback
+struct in6_addr in6addr_loopback = IN6ADDR_LOOPBACK_INIT;
+#endif
+
 static int
 get_null (const struct addrinfo *hints,
 	  int port, int protocol, int socktype,