diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index f32434d..3284ec8 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -40,6 +40,10 @@ PSPP_LC_PAPER
 AM_CONDITIONAL(WITHCHARTS, test x"$with_libplot" != x"no")
 
 
+AC_ARG_VAR([PSPP_LDFLAGS], [linker flags to be used for linking the pspp binary only])
+AC_ARG_VAR([PSPPIRE_LDFLAGS], [linker flags to be used for linking the psppire binary only])
+
+
 AC_ARG_WITH(
   gui, 
   [AS_HELP_STRING([--without-gui], [don't build the PSPPIRE gui])])
diff --git a/src/ui/gui/automake.mk b/src/ui/gui/automake.mk
index 64fe75e..8dabffb 100644
--- a/src/ui/gui/automake.mk
+++ b/src/ui/gui/automake.mk
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ src_ui_gui_psppire_CFLAGS = $(GTK_CFLAGS) $(GLADE_CFLAGS) -Wall \
 
 
 src_ui_gui_psppire_LDFLAGS = \
+	$(PSPPIRE_LDFLAGS) \
 	$(PG_LDFLAGS)
 
 
diff --git a/src/ui/terminal/automake.mk b/src/ui/terminal/automake.mk
index 928716c..80c6599 100644
--- a/src/ui/terminal/automake.mk
+++ b/src/ui/terminal/automake.mk
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ src_ui_terminal_pspp_LDADD = \
 
 
 
-src_ui_terminal_pspp_LDFLAGS = $(PG_LDFLAGS)
+src_ui_terminal_pspp_LDFLAGS = $(PSPP_LDFLAGS) $(PG_LDFLAGS)
 
 if RELOCATABLE_VIA_LD
 src_ui_terminal_pspp_LDFLAGS += `$(RELOCATABLE_LDFLAGS) $(bindir)`