diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 082939d858..df782e99e1 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 HAVE_FILE_LOGGER=1
+NEED_CXX_LINKER=0
 MISSING_DECLS   =0
 
 ifneq ($(C90_BUILD),)
@@ -71,7 +72,9 @@ ifeq ($(CXX_BUILD), 1)
 	CFLAGS   += -DCXX_BUILD
 	CXXFLAGS += -DCXX_BUILD
 else
-   ifeq ($(findstring Win32,$(OS)),)
+	ifeq ($(NEED_CXX_LINKER),1)
+	   LINK = $(CXX)
+	else ifeq ($(findstring Win32,$(OS)),)
       LINK = $(CC)
    else
       # directx-related code is c++
diff --git a/Makefile.common b/Makefile.common
index 143c428a31..ce8de44447 100644
--- a/Makefile.common
+++ b/Makefile.common
@@ -727,6 +727,7 @@ ifneq ($(C90_BUILD), 1)
 ifneq ($(HAVE_GLES), 1)
    OBJ += cores/libretro-ffmpeg/fft/fft.o
    DEFINES += -Ideps -DHAVE_GL_FFT
+	NEED_CXX_LINKER=1
 endif
 endif
 endif