diff --git a/src/posix/platform/radio_spinel.cpp b/src/posix/platform/radio_spinel.cpp
index 0625afd3d..e2757faa0 100644
--- a/src/posix/platform/radio_spinel.cpp
+++ b/src/posix/platform/radio_spinel.cpp
@@ -39,8 +39,12 @@
 #include <errno.h>
 #include <fcntl.h>
 #if OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_POSIX_APP_ENABLE_PTY_DEVICE
+#ifdef OPENTHREAD_TARGET_DARWIN
+#include <util.h>
+#else
 #include <pty.h>
 #endif
+#endif
 #include <stdarg.h>
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <sys/resource.h>