diff --git a/tests/lib/mcconfig/Makefile.am b/tests/lib/mcconfig/Makefile.am
index fba2a7b2d..c7060034c 100644
--- a/tests/lib/mcconfig/Makefile.am
+++ b/tests/lib/mcconfig/Makefile.am
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 AM_CFLAGS = $(GLIB_CFLAGS) -I$(top_srcdir) @CHECK_CFLAGS@ \
-	-DWORKDIR=\"$(abs_builddir)\"  -z muldefs
+	-DWORKDIR=\"$(abs_builddir)\"
 
-AM_LDFLAGS = -z muldefs
+AM_LDFLAGS = -Wl,-z,muldefs
 
 LIBS=@CHECK_LIBS@  $(top_builddir)/lib/libmc.la
 
diff --git a/tests/lib/vfs/Makefile.am b/tests/lib/vfs/Makefile.am
index bf440ee70..8c50d286e 100644
--- a/tests/lib/vfs/Makefile.am
+++ b/tests/lib/vfs/Makefile.am
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 AM_CFLAGS = -I$(top_srcdir)/lib/vfs $(GLIB_CFLAGS) -I$(top_srcdir) @CHECK_CFLAGS@ \
-	-DTEST_SHARE_DIR=\"$(abs_srcdir)\" -z muldefs
+	-DTEST_SHARE_DIR=\"$(abs_srcdir)\"
 
-AM_LDFLAGS = -z muldefs
+AM_LDFLAGS = -Wl,-z,muldefs
 
 EXTRA_DIST = mc.charsets