diff --git a/Makefile.in b/Makefile.in
index 1cc9f4d..2dedc44 100644
--- a/Makefile.in
+++ b/Makefile.in
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
 
 SFLAGS=-O
 LDFLAGS=
-TEST_LDFLAGS=-L. libz.a
+TEST_LDFLAGS=$(LDFLAGS) -L. libz.a
 LDSHARED=$(CC)
 CPP=$(CC) -E
 
@@ -288,10 +288,10 @@
 	$(CC) $(CFLAGS) -o $@ minigzip.o $(TEST_LDFLAGS)
 
 examplesh$(EXE): example.o $(SHAREDLIBV)
-	$(CC) $(CFLAGS) -o $@ example.o -L. $(SHAREDLIBV)
+	$(CC) $(CFLAGS) -o $@ example.o $(LDFLAGS) -L. $(SHAREDLIBV)
 
 minigzipsh$(EXE): minigzip.o $(SHAREDLIBV)
-	$(CC) $(CFLAGS) -o $@ minigzip.o -L. $(SHAREDLIBV)
+	$(CC) $(CFLAGS) -o $@ minigzip.o $(LDFLAGS) -L. $(SHAREDLIBV)
 
 example64$(EXE): example64.o $(STATICLIB)
 	$(CC) $(CFLAGS) -o $@ example64.o $(TEST_LDFLAGS)
diff --git a/configure b/configure
index bc3c802..aa872ec 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -33,7 +33,10 @@
 # set command prefix for cross-compilation
 if [ -n "${CHOST}" ]; then
     uname=${CHOST}
+    mname=${CHOST}
     CROSS_PREFIX="${CHOST}-"
+else
+    mname=`(uname -a || echo unknown) 2>/dev/null`
 fi
 
 # destination name for static library
@@ -220,6 +223,10 @@
   fi
   case "$uname" in
   Linux* | linux* | *-linux* | GNU | GNU/* | solaris*)
+        case "$mname" in
+        *sparc*)
+            LDFLAGS="${LDFLAGS} -Wl,--no-warn-rwx-segments" ;;
+        esac
         LDSHARED=${LDSHARED-"$cc -shared -Wl,-soname,libz.so.1,--version-script,${SRCDIR}zlib.map"} ;;
   *BSD | *bsd* | DragonFly)
         LDSHARED=${LDSHARED-"$cc -shared -Wl,-soname,libz.so.1,--version-script,${SRCDIR}zlib.map"}