diff --git a/Makefile.griffin b/Makefile.griffin
index 19d7b5a3cf..c7c7c4fd45 100644
--- a/Makefile.griffin
+++ b/Makefile.griffin
@@ -49,6 +49,11 @@ PYTHON2		= python2$(EXE_EXT)
 PYTHON3		= python3$(EXE_EXT)
 GIT			= git$(EXE_EXT)
 
+ifeq ($(WHOLE_ARCHIVE_LINK), 1)
+   WHOLE_START := -Wl,--whole-archive
+   WHOLE_END := -Wl,--no-whole-archive
+endif
+
 ifeq ($(platform), ngc)
   CC = $(DEVKITPPC)/bin/powerpc-eabi-gcc$(EXE_EXT)
   CXX = $(DEVKITPPC)/bin/powerpc-eabi-g++$(EXE_EXT)
@@ -120,10 +125,6 @@ else ifeq ($(platform), psp1)
 endif
 
 CFLAGS += -Wall -std=gnu99 $(MACHDEP) $(INCLUDE)
-ifeq ($(WHOLE_ARCHIVE_LINK), 1)
-   WHOLE_START := -Wl,--whole-archive
-   WHOLE_END := -Wl,--no-whole-archive
-endif
 
 OBJ = griffin/griffin.o  $(PLATOBJS)
 
diff --git a/dist-scripts/emscripten-cores.sh b/dist-scripts/emscripten-cores.sh
index 1983fefdde..b335b7ddcf 100644
--- a/dist-scripts/emscripten-cores.sh
+++ b/dist-scripts/emscripten-cores.sh
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ fi
 make -C ../ -f Makefile.emscripten clean || exit 1
 
 for f in *_emscripten.bc ; do
-   name=`echo "$f" | sed 's/\(_libretro\|\)_emscripten.bc$//'`
+   name=`echo "$f" | sed 's/\(_libretro_emscripten\|\).bc$//'`
    lto=1
    echo "building $name"
    if [ $name = "tyrquake" ] ; then
diff --git a/dist-scripts/ngc-cores.sh b/dist-scripts/ngc-cores.sh
index 31ad41ec55..c9dc2d7686 100755
--- a/dist-scripts/ngc-cores.sh
+++ b/dist-scripts/ngc-cores.sh
@@ -3,13 +3,15 @@
 make -C ../ -f Makefile.griffin platform=ngc clean || exit 1
 
 for f in *_ngc.a ; do
-   name=`echo "$f" | sed 's/\(_libretro\|\)_ngc.a$//'`
+   name=`echo "$f" | sed 's/\(_libretro_ngc\|\).a$//'`
    whole_archive=
    big_stack=
    if [ $name = "nxengine" ] ; then
+      echo "NXEngine found, applying whole archive linking..."
       whole_archive="WHOLE_ARCHIVE_LINK=1"
    fi
    if [ $name = "tyrquake" ] ; then
+      echo "Tyrquake found, applying big stack..."
       big_stack="BIG_STACK=1"
    fi
    cp -f "$f" ../libretro_ngc.a
diff --git a/dist-scripts/ps3-cores-cex-355.sh b/dist-scripts/ps3-cores-cex-355.sh
index 00bdb4561b..dc062b2dda 100755
--- a/dist-scripts/ps3-cores-cex-355.sh
+++ b/dist-scripts/ps3-cores-cex-355.sh
@@ -11,9 +11,10 @@ make -C ../ -f Makefile.ps3.rgl || exit 1
 EXE_PATH=/usr/local/cell/host-win32/bin
 
 for f in *_ps3.a ; do
-   name=`echo "$f" | sed 's/\(_libretro\|\)_ps3.a$//'`
+   name=`echo "$f" | sed 's/\(_libretro_ps3\|\).a$//'`
    whole_archive=
    if [ $name = "nxengine" ] ; then
+      echo "NXEngine found, applying whole archive linking..."
       whole_archive="WHOLE_ARCHIVE_LINK=1"
       echo $name yes
    fi
diff --git a/dist-scripts/ps3-cores-cobraode.sh b/dist-scripts/ps3-cores-cobraode.sh
index 7139ae448e..bbcaa186d9 100644
--- a/dist-scripts/ps3-cores-cobraode.sh
+++ b/dist-scripts/ps3-cores-cobraode.sh
@@ -13,9 +13,10 @@ SCETOOL_PATH=/cygdrive/c/Users/aaa801/ps3tools/ps3tools/tools/scetool/scetool.ex
 SCETOOL_FLAGS="--sce-type SELF --compress-data FALSE --self-type APP --key-revision 0004 --self-fw-version 0003004100000000 --self-app-version 0001000000000000 --self-auth-id 1010000001000003 --self-vendor-id 01000002 --self-cap-flags 00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000003b0000000100040000"
 
 for f in *_ps3.a ; do
-   name=`echo "$f" | sed 's/\(_libretro\|\)_ps3.a$//'`
+   name=`echo "$f" | sed 's/\(_libretro_ps3\|\).a$//'`
    whole_archive=
    if [ $name = "nxengine" ] ; then
+      echo "NXEngine found, applying whole archive linking..."
       whole_archive="WHOLE_ARCHIVE_LINK=1"
       echo $name yes
    fi
diff --git a/dist-scripts/ps3-cores-dex.sh b/dist-scripts/ps3-cores-dex.sh
index 9328dd8d46..3dfa213bd8 100755
--- a/dist-scripts/ps3-cores-dex.sh
+++ b/dist-scripts/ps3-cores-dex.sh
@@ -12,9 +12,10 @@ MAKE_FSELF_NPDRM=$EXE_PATH/make_fself_npdrm.exe
 MAKE_PACKAGE_NPDRM=$EXE_PATH/make_package_npdrm.exe
 
 for f in *_ps3.a ; do
-   name=`echo "$f" | sed 's/\(_libretro\|\)_ps3.a$//'`
+   name=`echo "$f" | sed 's/\(_libretro_ps3\|\).a$//'`
    whole_archive=
    if [ $name = "nxengine" ] ; then
+      echo "NXEngine found, applying whole archive linking..."
       whole_archive="WHOLE_ARCHIVE_LINK=1"
       echo $name yes
    fi
diff --git a/dist-scripts/psp1-cores.sh b/dist-scripts/psp1-cores.sh
index 9264624341..df4680272c 100755
--- a/dist-scripts/psp1-cores.sh
+++ b/dist-scripts/psp1-cores.sh
@@ -7,13 +7,15 @@ make -C ../ -f Makefile.psp1 clean || exit 1
 make -C ../ -f Makefile.psp1 || exit 1
 
 for f in *_psp1.a ; do
-   name=`echo "$f" | sed 's/\(_libretro\|\)_psp1.a$//'`
+   name=`echo "$f" | sed 's/\(_libretro_psp1\|\).a$//'`
    whole_archive=
    big_stack=
    if [ $name = "nxengine" ] ; then
+      echo "NXEngine found, applying whole archive linking..."
       whole_archive="WHOLE_ARCHIVE_LINK=1"
    fi
    if [ $name = "tyrquake" ] ; then
+      echo "Tyrquake found, applying big stack..."
       big_stack="BIG_STACK=1"
    fi
    cp -f "$f" ../libretro_psp1.a
diff --git a/dist-scripts/wii-cores.sh b/dist-scripts/wii-cores.sh
index 2398490baa..78d9d37d7d 100755
--- a/dist-scripts/wii-cores.sh
+++ b/dist-scripts/wii-cores.sh
@@ -7,13 +7,15 @@ make -C ../ -f Makefile.wii.salamander || exit 1
 make -C ../ -f Makefile.wii.salamander pkg || exit 1
 
 for f in *_wii.a ; do
-   name=`echo "$f" | sed 's/\(_libretro\|\)_wii.a$//'`
+   name=`echo "$f" | sed 's/\(_libretro_wii\|\).a$//'`
    whole_archive=
    big_stack=
    if [ $name = "nxengine" ] ; then
+      echo "NXEngine found, applying whole archive linking..."
       whole_archive="WHOLE_ARCHIVE_LINK=1"
    fi
    if [ $name = "tyrquake" ] ; then
+      echo "Tyrquake found, applying big stack..."
       big_stack="BIG_STACK=1"
    fi
    cp -f "$f" ../libretro_wii.a
diff --git a/dist-scripts/xdk1-cores.sh b/dist-scripts/xdk1-cores.sh
index 312e665848..3892a64b49 100644
--- a/dist-scripts/xdk1-cores.sh
+++ b/dist-scripts/xdk1-cores.sh
@@ -12,9 +12,10 @@ mkdir -p ../msvc/RetroArch-Xbox1/Release
 mkdir -p ../msvc/RetroArch-Xbox1/Release_LTCG
 
 for f in *_xdk.lib ; do
-   name=`echo "$f" | sed 's/\(_libretro\|\)_xdk.lib$//'`
+   name=`echo "$f" | sed 's/\(_libretro_xdk\|\).lib$//'`
    echo $name
    if [ $name = "tyrquake" ] || [ $name = "genesis_plus_gx" ] ; then
+      echo "Applying whole archive linking for this core..."
    	cp -f "$f" ../msvc/RetroArch-Xbox1/Release_LTCG_BigStack/libretro_xdk.lib
    	cmd.exe /k xdk1_env_bigstack.bat ${name}_libretro_xdk1
    else
diff --git a/dist-scripts/xdk360-cores.sh b/dist-scripts/xdk360-cores.sh
index ade310fd3a..cfd5e2dec1 100644
--- a/dist-scripts/xdk360-cores.sh
+++ b/dist-scripts/xdk360-cores.sh
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ mkdir -p ../msvc/RetroArch-360/Release
 mkdir -p ../msvc/RetroArch-360/Release_LTCG
 
 for f in *_xdk360.lib ; do
-   name=`echo "$f" | sed 's/\(_libretro\|\)_xdk360.lib$//'`
+   name=`echo "$f" | sed 's/\(_libretro_xdk360\|\).lib$//'`
    echo $name
    cp -f "$f" ../msvc/RetroArch-360/Release_LTCG/libretro_xdk360.lib
    cmd.exe /k xdk360_env.bat ${name}_libretro_xdk360