diff --git a/linux-user/alpha/syscall_nr.h b/linux-user/alpha/syscall_nr.h
index 625f301674..dde8d5c6ad 100644
--- a/linux-user/alpha/syscall_nr.h
+++ b/linux-user/alpha/syscall_nr.h
@@ -185,6 +185,10 @@
 #define TARGET_NR_osf_utsname	207
 #define TARGET_NR_lchown		208
 #define TARGET_NR_osf_shmat		209
+/* this has the usual shmat semantics so give it the name syscall.c expects
+ * so that our support for it is enabled.
+ */
+#define TARGET_NR_shmat TARGET_NR_osf_shmat
 #define TARGET_NR_shmctl		210
 #define TARGET_NR_shmdt		211
 #define TARGET_NR_shmget		212