diff --git a/ext/exif/exif.c b/ext/exif/exif.c
index 724689d3f24..e711d719497 100644
--- a/ext/exif/exif.c
+++ b/ext/exif/exif.c
@@ -76,6 +76,9 @@
 #include "ext/mbstring/mbstring.h"
 #endif
 
+/* needed for ssize_t definition */
+#include <sys/types.h>
+
 typedef unsigned char uchar;
 
 #ifndef safe_emalloc