diff --git a/libavformat/Makefile b/libavformat/Makefile
index 00e1ae5715..aad67cc056 100644
--- a/libavformat/Makefile
+++ b/libavformat/Makefile
@@ -247,3 +247,5 @@ EXAMPLES  = output
 TESTPROGS = timefilter
 
 include $(SUBDIR)../subdir.mak
+
+$(SUBDIR)output-example$(EXESUF): ELIBS = -lswscale
diff --git a/subdir.mak b/subdir.mak
index 7343f548e0..7148ce6fcd 100644
--- a/subdir.mak
+++ b/subdir.mak
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ THIS_LIB := $(SUBDIR)$($(BUILD_SHARED:yes=S)LIBNAME)
 
 define RULES
 $(SUBDIR)%$(EXESUF): $(SUBDIR)%.o
-	$(CC) $(FFLDFLAGS) -o $$@ $$^ -l$(FULLNAME) $(FFEXTRALIBS)
+	$(CC) $(FFLDFLAGS) -o $$@ $$^ -l$(FULLNAME) $(FFEXTRALIBS) $$(ELIBS)
 
 $(SUBDIR)%-test.o: $(SUBDIR)%.c
 	$(CC) $(CFLAGS) -DTEST -c -o $$@ $$^