--- a/Imakefile
+++ b/Imakefile
@@ -356,6 +356,8 @@ LOCAL_LIBRARIES = $(XAWLIB) $(XTOOLLIB)
 /**/#      COMPRESS = gzip --verbose --best
 /**/#  COMPRESS_EXT = gz
 
+# teach ComplexProgramTarget about LDFLAGS
+LDOPTIONS += $(LDFLAGS)
 ComplexProgramTarget(xkeycaps)
 
 all-kbds.o:  kbddef.h $(KBDIR)/all-kbds.h $(ALL_KBDS)
