diff --git a/src/makefiles/Makefile.aix b/src/makefiles/Makefile.aix
index 4cf2cc52d45..9408c1e2913 100644
--- a/src/makefiles/Makefile.aix
+++ b/src/makefiles/Makefile.aix
@@ -8,10 +8,21 @@ AROPT = crs
 # -blibpath must contain ALL directories where we should look for libraries
 libpath := $(shell echo $(subst -L,:,$(filter -L/%,$(LDFLAGS))) | sed -e's/ //g'):/usr/lib:/lib
 
+# when building with gcc, need to make sure that libgcc can be found
+ifeq ($(GCC), yes)
+libpath := $(libpath):$(dir $(shell gcc -print-libgcc-file-name))
+endif
+
 rpath = -Wl,-blibpath:'$(rpathdir)$(libpath)'
 
 LDFLAGS_SL += -Wl,-bnoentry -Wl,-H512 -Wl,-bM:SRE
 
+# gcc needs to know it's building a shared lib, otherwise it'll not emit
+# correct code / link to the right support libraries
+ifeq ($(GCC), yes)
+LDFLAGS_SL += -shared
+endif
+
 # env var name to use in place of LD_LIBRARY_PATH
 ld_library_path_var = LIBPATH