diff --git a/example/simple/Makefile.am b/example/simple/Makefile.am
index 3b56d13..f098970 100644
--- a/example/simple/Makefile.am
+++ b/example/simple/Makefile.am
@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@ noinst_PROGRAMS = ssh2 \
 		sftp_RW_nonblock \
 		sftpdir sftpdir_nonblock
 
-INCLUDES = -I$(top_srcdir)/src -I$(top_srcdir)/include
+# the examples need the $(top_builddir)/src since when building outside of the
+# source dir they still need to reach the libssh2_config.h header
+INCLUDES = -I$(top_srcdir)/src -I$(top_srcdir)/include -I$(top_builddir)/src
 LDADD = $(top_builddir)/src/libssh2.la