diff --git a/CHANGES b/CHANGES
index 3e7a5226..418b735d 100644
--- a/CHANGES
+++ b/CHANGES
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 v3.0.3 - YYYY-MMM-DD (to be released)
 -------------------------------------
 
+ - modsec_rules_check: uses the gnu `.la' instead of `.a' file
+   [Issue #1853 - @ste7677, @victorhora, @zimmerle]
  - good practices: Initialize variables before use it
    [Issue #1889 - Marc Stern]
  - Fix utf-8 character encoding conversion
diff --git a/tools/rules-check/Makefile.am b/tools/rules-check/Makefile.am
index c677d1c7..615d9598 100644
--- a/tools/rules-check/Makefile.am
+++ b/tools/rules-check/Makefile.am
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ modsec_rules_check_SOURCES = \
         rules-check.cc
 
 modsec_rules_check_LDADD = \
-	$(top_builddir)/src/.libs/libmodsecurity.a \
+	$(top_builddir)/src/.libs/libmodsecurity.la \
 	$(CURL_LDADD) \
 	$(GEOIP_LDADD) \
 	$(MAXMIND_LDADD) \