diff --git a/src/backend/Makefile.am b/src/backend/Makefile.am
index 6a15cfc..51939d4 100644
--- a/src/backend/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/backend/Makefile.am
@@ -25,6 +25,9 @@
 %_wrap.cc : %.i
 	$(SWIG) $(SWIG_PYTHON_OPT) -o $@  $<
 
+../pyloader/libpyloader.la :
+	make -C ../pyloader libpyloader.la
+
 # Program & library names
 pkglib_LTLIBRARIES = libbackend.la