diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index a0f02a20..fee7cdc7 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -40,6 +40,15 @@ crypt = cc.find_library('crypt', required: not libpam.found())
 math = cc.find_library('m')
 rt = cc.find_library('rt')
 
+have_explicit_bzero = cc.has_function(
+	'explicit_bzero',
+	args: ['-D_BSD_SOURCE'],
+	prefix: '#include <string.h>'
+)
+if not have_explicit_bzero
+	warning('Your system does not support explicit_bzero(3), using precarious fallback function to clear passwords')
+endif
+
 git = find_program('git', required: false)
 scdoc = find_program('scdoc', required: get_option('man-pages'))
 wayland_scanner_prog = find_program(wayland_scanner.get_variable('wayland_scanner'), native: true)
@@ -81,6 +90,7 @@ conf_data = configuration_data()
 conf_data.set_quoted('SYSCONFDIR', get_option('prefix') / get_option('sysconfdir'))
 conf_data.set_quoted('SWAYLOCK_VERSION', version)
 conf_data.set10('HAVE_GDK_PIXBUF', gdk_pixbuf.found())
+conf_data.set10('HAVE_EXPLICIT_BZERO', have_explicit_bzero)
 
 subdir('include')
 
diff --git a/password.c b/password.c
index cae568ec..55fd7be3 100644
--- a/password.c
+++ b/password.c
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+#define _BSD_SOURCE // for explicit_bzero
 #include <assert.h>
 #include <errno.h>
 #include <pwd.h>
@@ -13,12 +14,16 @@
 #include "unicode.h"
 
 void clear_buffer(char *buf, size_t size) {
+#ifdef HAVE_EXPLICIT_BZERO
+	explicit_bzero(buf, size);
+#else
 	// Use volatile keyword so so compiler can't optimize this out.
 	volatile char *buffer = buf;
 	volatile char zero = '\0';
 	for (size_t i = 0; i < size; ++i) {
 		buffer[i] = zero;
 	}
+#endif
 }
 
 void clear_password_buffer(struct swaylock_password *pw) {