diff --git a/ares/Makefile.am b/ares/Makefile.am
index e80c705879..7e3b96626d 100644
--- a/ares/Makefile.am
+++ b/ares/Makefile.am
@@ -91,7 +91,9 @@ if NO_UNDEFINED
 UNDEF = -no-undefined
 endif
 
+if DONT_SKIP_THE_EXPORT_SYMBOLS_REGEX
 EXPORT_SYMBOLS = -export-symbols-regex '^ares_[[:alnum:]].*'
+endif
 
 libcares_la_LDFLAGS = $(UNDEF) $(VER) $(EXPORT_SYMBOLS)