diff --git a/cmake/modules/CheckCXX11Features.cmake b/cmake/modules/CheckCXX11Features.cmake
index 3f6b8e2e3ca455f4dfba286170084435cf0521fe..5a3a7b852888fea255d244e8d81bdbc074435e42 100644
--- a/cmake/modules/CheckCXX11Features.cmake
+++ b/cmake/modules/CheckCXX11Features.cmake
@@ -278,8 +278,16 @@ if(${CMAKE_VERSION} VERSION_LESS "3.1")
 else()
   find_package(Threads)
 endif()
-set(STDTHREAD_LINK_FLAGS "${CMAKE_THREAD_LIBS_INIT}"
-    CACHE STRING "Linker flags needed to get working C++11 threads support")
+
+# see whether threading needs -no-as-needed
+if(EXISTS /etc/dpkg/origins/ubuntu)
+  set(NO_AS_NEEDED "-Wl,-no-as-needed")
+else(EXISTS /etc/dpkg/origins/ubuntu)
+  set(NO_AS_NEEDED "")
+endif(EXISTS /etc/dpkg/origins/ubuntu)
+
+set(STDTHREAD_LINK_FLAGS "${NO_AS_NEEDED} ${CMAKE_THREAD_LIBS_INIT}"
+    CACHE STRING "Linker flags needed to get working C++11 threads support.  On Ubuntu it may be necessary to include -Wl,-no-as-needed (see FS#1650).")
 
 # set linker flags
 #