diff --git a/pkgs/development/compilers/gcl/default.nix b/pkgs/development/compilers/gcl/default.nix
index 6d0471dacbb..e6ccc259803 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/compilers/gcl/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/compilers/gcl/default.nix
@@ -40,7 +40,10 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
 
   hardeningDisable = [ "pic" "bindnow" ];
 
-  NIX_CFLAGS_COMPILE = "-fgnu89-inline";
+  # -fcommon: workaround build failure on -fno-common toolchains:
+  #   ld: ./libgclp.a(user_match.o):(.bss+0x18): multiple definition of
+  #     `tf'; ./libpre_gcl.a(main.o):(.bss+0x326d90): first defined here
+  NIX_CFLAGS_COMPILE = "-fgnu89-inline -fcommon";
 
   meta = with lib; {
     description = "GNU Common Lisp compiler working via GCC";