diff --git a/makefile b/makefile
index 3f20d58980..946a3344cd 100644
--- a/makefile
+++ b/makefile
@@ -62,7 +62,14 @@ build-cflags = $(common-cflags) -fPIC -fvisibility=hidden \
 
 cflags = $(build-cflags)
 
-common-lflags = -lm -lz -lstdc++
+use-libstdcpp = true
+
+common-lflags = -lm -lz
+
+ifeq ($(use-libstdcpp),true)
+	common-lflags += -lstdc++
+	common-cflags += -DUSE_LIBSTDCPP
+endif
 
 build-lflags =
 
diff --git a/src/boot.cpp b/src/boot.cpp
index e3f91f6c0d..f6f0c95ba6 100644
--- a/src/boot.cpp
+++ b/src/boot.cpp
@@ -11,10 +11,12 @@
 #include "stdint.h"
 #include "stdlib.h"
 
-// since we don't link against libstdc++, we must implement some dummy
-// functions:
+#ifndef USE_LIBSTDCPP
+// since we aren't linking against libstdc++, we must implement some
+// dummy functions:
 extern "C" void __cxa_pure_virtual(void) { abort(); }
 void operator delete(void*) { abort(); }
+#endif
 
 #ifdef __MINGW32__
 #  define EXPORT __declspec(dllexport)