diff --git a/configure b/configure
index 89df5c44ae..3770d7c263 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -4723,8 +4723,14 @@ EOF
 if ! compile_object ""; then
   error_exit "Failed to compile object file for LD_REL_FLAGS test"
 fi
-if do_cc -nostdlib -Wl,-r -Wl,--no-relax -o $TMPMO $TMPO; then
-  LD_REL_FLAGS="-Wl,--no-relax"
+for i in '-Wl,-r -Wl,--no-relax' -Wl,-r -r; do
+  if do_cc -nostdlib $i -o $TMPMO $TMPO; then
+    LD_REL_FLAGS=$i
+    break
+  fi
+done
+if test "$modules" = "yes" && test "$LD_REL_FLAGS" = ""; then
+  feature_not_found "modules" "Cannot find how to build relocatable objects"
 fi
 
 ##########################################
diff --git a/rules.mak b/rules.mak
index 545ebd9c68..f4839d2c38 100644
--- a/rules.mak
+++ b/rules.mak
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ module-common.o: CFLAGS += $(DSO_OBJ_CFLAGS)
 	$(if $(findstring /,$@),$(call quiet-command,cp $@ $(subst /,-,$@),"CP","$(subst /,-,$@)"))
 
 
-LD_REL := $(CC) -nostdlib -r $(LD_REL_FLAGS)
+LD_REL := $(CC) -nostdlib $(LD_REL_FLAGS)
 
 %.mo:
 	$(call quiet-command,$(LD_REL) -o $@ $^,"LD","$(TARGET_DIR)$@")