diff --git a/changes/build/481.bugfix.md b/changes/build/481.bugfix.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e217c6e60
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changes/build/481.bugfix.md
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+Gate the use of `--undefined-version` in the linker because it breaks on older
+GNU `ld`.
diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 609540dbd..1ba005a41 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -143,9 +143,14 @@ configh_data.set('_CRT_NONSTDC_NO_DEPRECATE', 1)
 configh_data.set('WIN32_LEAN_AND_MEAN', 1)
 
 # Supports -Wl,--version-script?
+if cc.has_link_argument('-Wl,--undefined-version')
+    extra_linker_args = ',--undefined-version'
+else
+    extra_linker_args = ''
+endif
 have_version_script = cc.links(
     'int main(){}',
-    args: '-Wl,--undefined-version,--version-script=' + meson.current_source_dir()/'xkbcommon.map',
+    args: '-Wl,--version-script=' + meson.current_source_dir()/'xkbcommon.map' + extra_linker_args,
     name: '-Wl,--version-script',
 )