--- a/src/util.c
+++ b/src/util.c
@@ -51,6 +51,11 @@
 # include "verror.h"
 #endif
 
+/* make GNU/Hurd happy */
+#ifndef PATH_MAX
+# define PATH_MAX 8192
+#endif
+
 static void makedirs (char const *);
 
 typedef struct
