diff --git a/src/cmp/cmpdefs.lsp b/src/cmp/cmpdefs.lsp
index d4ef7081f..51653b33a 100644
--- a/src/cmp/cmpdefs.lsp
+++ b/src/cmp/cmpdefs.lsp
@@ -408,6 +408,9 @@ One can set the variable appropriately adding for instance flags which the
 C compiler may need to exploit special hardware features (e.g. a floating point
 coprocessor).")
 
+(defvar *ld* "@ECL_CC@"
+"This variable controls the linker which is used by ECL.")
+
 (defvar *cc-flags* "@CPPFLAGS@ @CFLAGS@ @ECL_CFLAGS@")
 
 (defvar *cc-optimize* #-msvc "-O"
diff --git a/src/cmp/cmpmain.lsp b/src/cmp/cmpmain.lsp
index 0be74cc48..da3e53ca1 100644
--- a/src/cmp/cmpmain.lsp
+++ b/src/cmp/cmpmain.lsp
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@
   (safe-system
    (format nil
 	   *ld-format*
-	   *cc*
+	   *ld*
 	   (si::coerce-to-filename o-pathname)
 	   (fix-for-mingw (ecl-library-directory))
 	   options
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@
   (safe-system
    (format nil
 	   *ld-format*
-	   *cc*
+	   *ld*
 	   (si::coerce-to-filename o-pathname)
 	   (fix-for-mingw (ecl-library-directory))
 	   options
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@
   (safe-system
    (format nil
 	   *ld-format*
-	   *cc*
+	   *ld*
 	   (si::coerce-to-filename o-pathname)
 	   (fix-for-mingw (ecl-library-directory))
 	   options