diff --git a/examples/lwip/Makefile b/examples/lwip/Makefile
index 6158f82f..39a26a62 100644
--- a/examples/lwip/Makefile
+++ b/examples/lwip/Makefile
@@ -1,4 +1,9 @@
 top_srcdir = ../..
+include_dir = $(top_srcdir)/include
+
+LIBCOAP_API_VERSION = $(shell sed -ne 's/^LIBCOAP_API_VERSION=\([0-9]\+\).*$$/\1/p' $(top_srcdir)/configure.ac)
+
+coap_include_dir = $(include_dir)/coap$(LIBCOAP_API_VERSION)
 
 WITH_LWIP_BRANCH=STABLE-2_0_3_RELEASE
 WITH_LWIP_CONTRIB_BRANCH=STABLE-2_0_1_RELEASE
@@ -35,7 +40,8 @@ LWIPOBJS += mld6.o ip6.o icmp6.o ethip6.o nd6.o ip6_addr.o ip6_frag.o
 
 CFLAGS += -std=gnu99
 
-CFLAGS += -I$(top_srcdir)/include -I$(top_srcdir)/include/coap2
+# set path to coap_include_dir for lwippools.h
+CFLAGS += -I$(top_srcdir)/include -I$(coap_include_dir)
 
 vpath %.c $(top_srcdir)/src
 
@@ -47,18 +53,15 @@ CFLAGS += -Wno-unused-parameter
 
 CFLAGS += -Ilwip/src/include/ -Ilwip/src/include/ipv4/ -Ilwip-contrib/ports/unix/port/include/ -Ilwip-contrib/ports/unix/proj/minimal/
 
-# making an executable out of all of it
-
 OBJS = server.o server-coap.o ${LWIPOBJS} ${COAPOBJS}
 
-../../include/coap2/coap.h:
-	@echo "Error: coap.h not present. Run the autotools chain (\`./autogen.sh && ./configure\`) in the project root directory to build the required coap.h file."
+$(coap_include_dir)/coap.h:
+	@echo "Error: $@ not present. Run the autotools chain (\`./autogen.sh && ./configure\`) in the project root directory to build the required coap.h file."
 	@exit 1
 
-${OBJS}: lwip lwip-contrib ../../include/coap2/coap.h
+${OBJS}: lwip lwip-contrib $(coap_include_dir)/coap.h
 
 server: ${OBJS}
-#	$(CC) ${OBJS} -o server -lrt
 
 clean:
 	rm -f ${OBJS}