diff --git a/src/display-console.cc b/src/display-console.cc
index 22243b93..eee111d1 100644
--- a/src/display-console.cc
+++ b/src/display-console.cc
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ namespace {
 conky::display_output_console console_output("console");
 
 }  // namespace
+void init_console_output() {}
 
 namespace priv {}  // namespace priv
 
diff --git a/src/display-file.cc b/src/display-file.cc
index 9a437c33..0070bd2f 100644
--- a/src/display-file.cc
+++ b/src/display-file.cc
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ namespace {
 conky::display_output_file file_output("file");
 
 }  // namespace
+extern void init_file_output() {}
 
 namespace priv {}  // namespace priv
 
diff --git a/src/display-http.cc b/src/display-http.cc
index 9f7e346a..a7c44f8a 100644
--- a/src/display-http.cc
+++ b/src/display-http.cc
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ conky::disabled_display_output http_output_disabled("http", "BUILD_HTTP");
 #endif
 
 }  // namespace
+extern void init_http_output() {}
 
 // TODO: cleanup namespace
 // namespace priv {
diff --git a/src/display-ncurses.cc b/src/display-ncurses.cc
index b06f9fe5..55f4c1e3 100644
--- a/src/display-ncurses.cc
+++ b/src/display-ncurses.cc
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ conky::disabled_display_output ncurses_output_disabled("ncurses",
 #endif
 
 }  // namespace
+extern void init_ncurses_output() {}
 
 // namespace priv {
 
diff --git a/src/display-output.cc b/src/display-output.cc
index 392010ae..a06e5e02 100644
--- a/src/display-output.cc
+++ b/src/display-output.cc
@@ -50,6 +50,13 @@ display_outputs_t *display_outputs;
 
 }  // namespace
 
+// HACK: force the linker to link all the objects in with test enabled
+extern void init_console_output();
+extern void init_ncurses_output();
+extern void init_file_output();
+extern void init_http_output();
+extern void init_x11_output();
+
 /*
  * The selected and active display output.
  */
@@ -99,6 +106,12 @@ disabled_display_output::disabled_display_output(const std::string &name,
 }
 
 bool initialize_display_outputs() {
+  init_console_output();
+  init_ncurses_output();
+  init_file_output();
+  init_http_output();
+  init_x11_output();
+
   std::vector<display_output_base *> outputs;
   outputs.reserve(display_outputs->size());
 
diff --git a/src/display-x11.cc b/src/display-x11.cc
index 3a6286d9..bde4f105 100644
--- a/src/display-x11.cc
+++ b/src/display-x11.cc
@@ -193,6 +193,7 @@ conky::disabled_display_output x11_output_disabled("x11", "BUILD_X11");
 #endif
 
 }  // namespace
+extern void init_x11_output() {}
 
 namespace priv {}  // namespace priv