diff --git a/Make.rules.in b/Make.rules.in
index 676cc272d5e..62d0edb71f0 100644
--- a/Make.rules.in
+++ b/Make.rules.in
@@ -53,8 +53,9 @@ LN_S      = @LN_S@
 TOOLSDIR  = @TOOLSDIR@
 DIVINCL   = -I$(SRCDIR) -I. -I$(TOPSRCDIR)/include -I$(TOPOBJDIR)/include $(EXTRAINCL)
 ALLCFLAGS = $(DIVINCL) $(CFLAGS) $(DEFS) $(OPTIONS) $(X_CFLAGS)
-LDCOMBINE = @LDCOMBINE@
+LD        = @LD@
 LDFLAGS   = @LDFLAGS@
+LDCOMBINE = $(LD) -r
 RM        = rm -f
 MV        = mv
 C2MAN     = @C2MAN@
diff --git a/configure b/configure
index 8858ad242dd..d4b4325ed75 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -3915,6 +3915,86 @@ echo "$as_me: error: no suitable lex found. Please install the 'flex' package."
    { (exit 1); exit 1; }; }
 fi
 
+if test -n "$ac_tool_prefix"; then
+  # Extract the first word of "${ac_tool_prefix}ld", so it can be a program name with args.
+set dummy ${ac_tool_prefix}ld; ac_word=$2
+echo "$as_me:$LINENO: checking for $ac_word" >&5
+echo $ECHO_N "checking for $ac_word... $ECHO_C" >&6
+if test "${ac_cv_prog_LD+set}" = set; then
+  echo $ECHO_N "(cached) $ECHO_C" >&6
+else
+  if test -n "$LD"; then
+  ac_cv_prog_LD="$LD" # Let the user override the test.
+else
+as_save_IFS=$IFS; IFS=$PATH_SEPARATOR
+for as_dir in $PATH
+do
+  IFS=$as_save_IFS
+  test -z "$as_dir" && as_dir=.
+  for ac_exec_ext in '' $ac_executable_extensions; do
+  if $as_executable_p "$as_dir/$ac_word$ac_exec_ext"; then
+    ac_cv_prog_LD="${ac_tool_prefix}ld"
+    echo "$as_me:$LINENO: found $as_dir/$ac_word$ac_exec_ext" >&5
+    break 2
+  fi
+done
+done
+
+fi
+fi
+LD=$ac_cv_prog_LD
+if test -n "$LD"; then
+  echo "$as_me:$LINENO: result: $LD" >&5
+echo "${ECHO_T}$LD" >&6
+else
+  echo "$as_me:$LINENO: result: no" >&5
+echo "${ECHO_T}no" >&6
+fi
+
+fi
+if test -z "$ac_cv_prog_LD"; then
+  ac_ct_LD=$LD
+  # Extract the first word of "ld", so it can be a program name with args.
+set dummy ld; ac_word=$2
+echo "$as_me:$LINENO: checking for $ac_word" >&5
+echo $ECHO_N "checking for $ac_word... $ECHO_C" >&6
+if test "${ac_cv_prog_ac_ct_LD+set}" = set; then
+  echo $ECHO_N "(cached) $ECHO_C" >&6
+else
+  if test -n "$ac_ct_LD"; then
+  ac_cv_prog_ac_ct_LD="$ac_ct_LD" # Let the user override the test.
+else
+as_save_IFS=$IFS; IFS=$PATH_SEPARATOR
+for as_dir in $PATH
+do
+  IFS=$as_save_IFS
+  test -z "$as_dir" && as_dir=.
+  for ac_exec_ext in '' $ac_executable_extensions; do
+  if $as_executable_p "$as_dir/$ac_word$ac_exec_ext"; then
+    ac_cv_prog_ac_ct_LD="ld"
+    echo "$as_me:$LINENO: found $as_dir/$ac_word$ac_exec_ext" >&5
+    break 2
+  fi
+done
+done
+
+  test -z "$ac_cv_prog_ac_ct_LD" && ac_cv_prog_ac_ct_LD="ld"
+fi
+fi
+ac_ct_LD=$ac_cv_prog_ac_ct_LD
+if test -n "$ac_ct_LD"; then
+  echo "$as_me:$LINENO: result: $ac_ct_LD" >&5
+echo "${ECHO_T}$ac_ct_LD" >&6
+else
+  echo "$as_me:$LINENO: result: no" >&5
+echo "${ECHO_T}no" >&6
+fi
+
+  LD=$ac_ct_LD
+else
+  LD="$ac_cv_prog_LD"
+fi
+
 if test -n "$ac_tool_prefix"; then
   # Extract the first word of "${ac_tool_prefix}ar", so it can be a program name with args.
 set dummy ${ac_tool_prefix}ar; ac_word=$2
@@ -4416,171 +4496,6 @@ echo "${ECHO_T}no" >&6
 fi
 
 
-case $host_os in
-   cygwin*|mingw32*)
-      if test -n "$ac_tool_prefix"; then
-  # Extract the first word of "${ac_tool_prefix}ld -r --enable-stdcall-fixup", so it can be a program name with args.
-set dummy ${ac_tool_prefix}ld -r --enable-stdcall-fixup; ac_word=$2
-echo "$as_me:$LINENO: checking for $ac_word" >&5
-echo $ECHO_N "checking for $ac_word... $ECHO_C" >&6
-if test "${ac_cv_prog_LDCOMBINE+set}" = set; then
-  echo $ECHO_N "(cached) $ECHO_C" >&6
-else
-  if test -n "$LDCOMBINE"; then
-  ac_cv_prog_LDCOMBINE="$LDCOMBINE" # Let the user override the test.
-else
-as_save_IFS=$IFS; IFS=$PATH_SEPARATOR
-for as_dir in $PATH
-do
-  IFS=$as_save_IFS
-  test -z "$as_dir" && as_dir=.
-  for ac_exec_ext in '' $ac_executable_extensions; do
-  if $as_executable_p "$as_dir/$ac_word$ac_exec_ext"; then
-    ac_cv_prog_LDCOMBINE="${ac_tool_prefix}ld -r --enable-stdcall-fixup"
-    echo "$as_me:$LINENO: found $as_dir/$ac_word$ac_exec_ext" >&5
-    break 2
-  fi
-done
-done
-
-fi
-fi
-LDCOMBINE=$ac_cv_prog_LDCOMBINE
-if test -n "$LDCOMBINE"; then
-  echo "$as_me:$LINENO: result: $LDCOMBINE" >&5
-echo "${ECHO_T}$LDCOMBINE" >&6
-else
-  echo "$as_me:$LINENO: result: no" >&5
-echo "${ECHO_T}no" >&6
-fi
-
-fi
-if test -z "$ac_cv_prog_LDCOMBINE"; then
-  ac_ct_LDCOMBINE=$LDCOMBINE
-  # Extract the first word of "ld -r --enable-stdcall-fixup", so it can be a program name with args.
-set dummy ld -r --enable-stdcall-fixup; ac_word=$2
-echo "$as_me:$LINENO: checking for $ac_word" >&5
-echo $ECHO_N "checking for $ac_word... $ECHO_C" >&6
-if test "${ac_cv_prog_ac_ct_LDCOMBINE+set}" = set; then
-  echo $ECHO_N "(cached) $ECHO_C" >&6
-else
-  if test -n "$ac_ct_LDCOMBINE"; then
-  ac_cv_prog_ac_ct_LDCOMBINE="$ac_ct_LDCOMBINE" # Let the user override the test.
-else
-as_save_IFS=$IFS; IFS=$PATH_SEPARATOR
-for as_dir in $PATH
-do
-  IFS=$as_save_IFS
-  test -z "$as_dir" && as_dir=.
-  for ac_exec_ext in '' $ac_executable_extensions; do
-  if $as_executable_p "$as_dir/$ac_word$ac_exec_ext"; then
-    ac_cv_prog_ac_ct_LDCOMBINE="ld -r --enable-stdcall-fixup"
-    echo "$as_me:$LINENO: found $as_dir/$ac_word$ac_exec_ext" >&5
-    break 2
-  fi
-done
-done
-
-  test -z "$ac_cv_prog_ac_ct_LDCOMBINE" && ac_cv_prog_ac_ct_LDCOMBINE="ld -r --enable-stdcall-fixup"
-fi
-fi
-ac_ct_LDCOMBINE=$ac_cv_prog_ac_ct_LDCOMBINE
-if test -n "$ac_ct_LDCOMBINE"; then
-  echo "$as_me:$LINENO: result: $ac_ct_LDCOMBINE" >&5
-echo "${ECHO_T}$ac_ct_LDCOMBINE" >&6
-else
-  echo "$as_me:$LINENO: result: no" >&5
-echo "${ECHO_T}no" >&6
-fi
-
-  LDCOMBINE=$ac_ct_LDCOMBINE
-else
-  LDCOMBINE="$ac_cv_prog_LDCOMBINE"
-fi
- ;;
-   *)
-      if test -n "$ac_tool_prefix"; then
-  # Extract the first word of "${ac_tool_prefix}ld -r", so it can be a program name with args.
-set dummy ${ac_tool_prefix}ld -r; ac_word=$2
-echo "$as_me:$LINENO: checking for $ac_word" >&5
-echo $ECHO_N "checking for $ac_word... $ECHO_C" >&6
-if test "${ac_cv_prog_LDCOMBINE+set}" = set; then
-  echo $ECHO_N "(cached) $ECHO_C" >&6
-else
-  if test -n "$LDCOMBINE"; then
-  ac_cv_prog_LDCOMBINE="$LDCOMBINE" # Let the user override the test.
-else
-as_save_IFS=$IFS; IFS=$PATH_SEPARATOR
-for as_dir in $PATH
-do
-  IFS=$as_save_IFS
-  test -z "$as_dir" && as_dir=.
-  for ac_exec_ext in '' $ac_executable_extensions; do
-  if $as_executable_p "$as_dir/$ac_word$ac_exec_ext"; then
-    ac_cv_prog_LDCOMBINE="${ac_tool_prefix}ld -r"
-    echo "$as_me:$LINENO: found $as_dir/$ac_word$ac_exec_ext" >&5
-    break 2
-  fi
-done
-done
-
-fi
-fi
-LDCOMBINE=$ac_cv_prog_LDCOMBINE
-if test -n "$LDCOMBINE"; then
-  echo "$as_me:$LINENO: result: $LDCOMBINE" >&5
-echo "${ECHO_T}$LDCOMBINE" >&6
-else
-  echo "$as_me:$LINENO: result: no" >&5
-echo "${ECHO_T}no" >&6
-fi
-
-fi
-if test -z "$ac_cv_prog_LDCOMBINE"; then
-  ac_ct_LDCOMBINE=$LDCOMBINE
-  # Extract the first word of "ld -r", so it can be a program name with args.
-set dummy ld -r; ac_word=$2
-echo "$as_me:$LINENO: checking for $ac_word" >&5
-echo $ECHO_N "checking for $ac_word... $ECHO_C" >&6
-if test "${ac_cv_prog_ac_ct_LDCOMBINE+set}" = set; then
-  echo $ECHO_N "(cached) $ECHO_C" >&6
-else
-  if test -n "$ac_ct_LDCOMBINE"; then
-  ac_cv_prog_ac_ct_LDCOMBINE="$ac_ct_LDCOMBINE" # Let the user override the test.
-else
-as_save_IFS=$IFS; IFS=$PATH_SEPARATOR
-for as_dir in $PATH
-do
-  IFS=$as_save_IFS
-  test -z "$as_dir" && as_dir=.
-  for ac_exec_ext in '' $ac_executable_extensions; do
-  if $as_executable_p "$as_dir/$ac_word$ac_exec_ext"; then
-    ac_cv_prog_ac_ct_LDCOMBINE="ld -r"
-    echo "$as_me:$LINENO: found $as_dir/$ac_word$ac_exec_ext" >&5
-    break 2
-  fi
-done
-done
-
-  test -z "$ac_cv_prog_ac_ct_LDCOMBINE" && ac_cv_prog_ac_ct_LDCOMBINE="ld -r"
-fi
-fi
-ac_ct_LDCOMBINE=$ac_cv_prog_ac_ct_LDCOMBINE
-if test -n "$ac_ct_LDCOMBINE"; then
-  echo "$as_me:$LINENO: result: $ac_ct_LDCOMBINE" >&5
-echo "${ECHO_T}$ac_ct_LDCOMBINE" >&6
-else
-  echo "$as_me:$LINENO: result: no" >&5
-echo "${ECHO_T}no" >&6
-fi
-
-  LDCOMBINE=$ac_ct_LDCOMBINE
-else
-  LDCOMBINE="$ac_cv_prog_LDCOMBINE"
-fi
- ;;
-esac
-
 for ac_prog in lclint lint
 do
   # Extract the first word of "$ac_prog", so it can be a program name with args.
@@ -13970,6 +13885,8 @@ s,@LEXLIB@,$LEXLIB,;t t
 s,@LEX_OUTPUT_ROOT@,$LEX_OUTPUT_ROOT,;t t
 s,@XYACC@,$XYACC,;t t
 s,@XLEX@,$XLEX,;t t
+s,@LD@,$LD,;t t
+s,@ac_ct_LD@,$ac_ct_LD,;t t
 s,@AR@,$AR,;t t
 s,@ac_ct_AR@,$ac_ct_AR,;t t
 s,@RANLIB@,$RANLIB,;t t
@@ -13985,8 +13902,6 @@ s,@LN_S@,$LN_S,;t t
 s,@LN@,$LN,;t t
 s,@C2MAN@,$C2MAN,;t t
 s,@LDCONFIG@,$LDCONFIG,;t t
-s,@LDCOMBINE@,$LDCOMBINE,;t t
-s,@ac_ct_LDCOMBINE@,$ac_ct_LDCOMBINE,;t t
 s,@LINT@,$LINT,;t t
 s,@LINTFLAGS@,$LINTFLAGS,;t t
 s,@JPEGLIB@,$JPEGLIB,;t t
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 70b94085546..f1fb53bffab 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -72,6 +72,7 @@ then
   AC_MSG_ERROR([no suitable lex found. Please install the 'flex' package.])
 fi
 
+AC_CHECK_TOOL(LD,ld,ld)
 AC_CHECK_TOOL(AR,ar,ar)
 AC_PROG_RANLIB
 AC_CHECK_TOOL(STRIP,strip,strip)
@@ -82,13 +83,6 @@ WINE_PROG_LN
 AC_CHECK_PROG(C2MAN,c2man,c2man,\$(TOPSRCDIR)/tools/c2man.pl)
 AC_PATH_PROG(LDCONFIG, ldconfig, true, [/sbin /usr/sbin $PATH])
 
-case $host_os in
-   cygwin*|mingw32*)
-      AC_CHECK_TOOL(LDCOMBINE,[ld -r --enable-stdcall-fixup],[ld -r --enable-stdcall-fixup]) ;;
-   *)
-      AC_CHECK_TOOL(LDCOMBINE,[ld -r],[ld -r]) ;;
-esac
-
 dnl Check for lint
 AC_CHECK_PROGS(LINT, lclint lint)
 if test "$LINT" = "lint"