--- a/extensions/GNUmakefile.in
+++ b/extensions/GNUmakefile.in
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ pfx_symlink_files := $(patsubst %,libxt_
 #
 # Building blocks
 #
-targets := libext.a libext4.a libext6.a libext_ebt.a libext_arpt.a matches.man targets.man
+targets := libiptext.so libiptext4.so libiptext6.so libiptext_ebt.so libiptext_arpt.so matches.man targets.man
 targets_install :=
 libext_objs := ${pfx_objs}
 libext_ebt_objs := ${pfb_objs}
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ clean:
 distclean: clean
 
 init%.o: init%.c
-	${AM_VERBOSE_CC} ${CC} ${AM_CPPFLAGS} ${AM_DEPFLAGS} ${AM_CFLAGS} -D_INIT=$*_init ${CFLAGS} -o $@ -c $<;
+	${AM_VERBOSE_CC} ${CC} ${AM_CPPFLAGS} ${AM_DEPFLAGS} ${AM_CFLAGS} -D_INIT=$*_init  -DPIC -fPIC ${CFLAGS} -o $@ -c $<;
 
 -include .*.d
 
@@ -173,22 +173,22 @@ xt_connlabel_LIBADD = @libnetfilter_conn
 #	handling code in the Makefiles.
 #
 lib%.o: ${srcdir}/lib%.c
-	${AM_VERBOSE_CC} ${CC} ${AM_CPPFLAGS} ${AM_DEPFLAGS} ${AM_CFLAGS} -DNO_SHARED_LIBS=1 -D_INIT=lib$*_init ${CFLAGS} -o $@ -c $<;
+	${AM_VERBOSE_CC} ${CC} ${AM_CPPFLAGS} ${AM_DEPFLAGS} ${AM_CFLAGS} -DNO_SHARED_LIBS=1 -D_INIT=lib$*_init -DPIC -fPIC ${CFLAGS} -o $@ -c $<;
 
-libext.a: initext.o ${libext_objs}
-	${AM_VERBOSE_AR} ${AR} crs $@ $^;
+libiptext.so: initext.o ${libext_objs}
+	${AM_VERBOSE_CCLD} ${CCLD} ${AM_LDFLAGS} -shared ${LDFLAGS} -o $@ $^ -L../libxtables/.libs -lxtables $(foreach obj,$^,${$(patsubst lib%.o,%,$(obj))_LIBADD});
 
-libext_ebt.a: initextb.o ${libext_ebt_objs}
-	${AM_VERBOSE_AR} ${AR} crs $@ $^;
+libiptext_ebt.so: initextb.o ${libext_ebt_objs}
+	${AM_VERBOSE_CCLD} ${CCLD} ${AM_LDFLAGS} -shared ${LDFLAGS} -o $@ $^ -L../libxtables/.libs -lxtables $(foreach obj,$^,${$(patsubst lib%.o,%,$(obj))_LIBADD});
 
-libext_arpt.a: initexta.o ${libext_arpt_objs}
-	${AM_VERBOSE_AR} ${AR} crs $@ $^;
+libiptext_arpt.so: initexta.o ${libext_arpt_objs}
+	${AM_VERBOSE_CCLD} ${CCLD} ${AM_LDFLAGS} -shared ${LDFLAGS} -o $@ $^ -L../libxtables/.libs -lxtables $(foreach obj,$^,${$(patsubst lib%.o,%,$(obj))_LIBADD});
 
-libext4.a: initext4.o ${libext4_objs}
-	${AM_VERBOSE_AR} ${AR} crs $@ $^;
+libiptext4.so: initext4.o ${libext4_objs}
+	${AM_VERBOSE_CCLD} ${CCLD} ${AM_LDFLAGS} -shared ${LDFLAGS} -o $@ $^ -L../libxtables/.libs -lxtables $(foreach obj,$^,${$(patsubst lib%.o,%,$(obj))_LIBADD});
 
-libext6.a: initext6.o ${libext6_objs}
-	${AM_VERBOSE_AR} ${AR} crs $@ $^;
+libiptext6.so: initext6.o ${libext6_objs}
+	${AM_VERBOSE_CCLD} ${CCLD} ${AM_LDFLAGS} -shared ${LDFLAGS} -o $@ $^ -L../libxtables/.libs -lxtables $(foreach obj,$^,${$(patsubst lib%.o,%,$(obj))_LIBADD});
 
 initext_func  := $(addprefix xt_,${pfx_build_static})
 initextb_func := $(addprefix ebt_,${pfb_build_static})
--- a/iptables/Makefile.am
+++ b/iptables/Makefile.am
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ AM_LDFLAGS       = ${regular_LDFLAGS}
 BUILT_SOURCES =
 
 common_sources = iptables-xml.c xtables-multi.h xshared.c xshared.h
-common_ldadd   = ../extensions/libext.a ../libxtables/libxtables.la -lm
+common_ldadd   = ../libxtables/libxtables.la -lm
 common_cflags  = ${AM_CFLAGS}
 if ENABLE_STATIC
 common_cflags += -DALL_INCLUSIVE
@@ -17,15 +17,18 @@ xtables_legacy_multi_SOURCES  = ${common
 				iptables-restore.c iptables-save.c
 xtables_legacy_multi_CFLAGS   = ${common_cflags}
 xtables_legacy_multi_LDADD    = ${common_ldadd}
+xtables_legacy_multi_LDFLAGS  = -L../extensions/ -liptext
 if ENABLE_IPV4
 xtables_legacy_multi_SOURCES += iptables-standalone.c iptables.c iptables-multi.h
 xtables_legacy_multi_CFLAGS  += -DENABLE_IPV4
-xtables_legacy_multi_LDADD   += ../libiptc/libip4tc.la ../extensions/libext4.a
+xtables_legacy_multi_LDADD   += ../libiptc/libip4tc.la
+xtables_legacy_multi_LDFLAGS += -liptext4
 endif
 if ENABLE_IPV6
 xtables_legacy_multi_SOURCES += ip6tables-standalone.c ip6tables.c ip6tables-multi.h
 xtables_legacy_multi_CFLAGS  += -DENABLE_IPV6
-xtables_legacy_multi_LDADD   += ../libiptc/libip6tc.la ../extensions/libext6.a
+xtables_legacy_multi_LDADD   += ../libiptc/libip6tc.la
+xtables_legacy_multi_LDFLAGS += -liptext6
 endif
 
 # iptables using nf_tables api
@@ -33,12 +36,9 @@ if ENABLE_NFTABLES
 xtables_nft_multi_SOURCES  = ${common_sources} xtables-nft-multi.c
 xtables_nft_multi_CFLAGS   = ${common_cflags}
 xtables_nft_multi_LDADD    = ${common_ldadd} \
-			     ../extensions/libext_arpt.a \
-			     ../extensions/libext_ebt.a \
-			     ../extensions/libext4.a \
-			     ../extensions/libext6.a \
 			     ${libmnl_LIBS} ${libnftnl_LIBS} \
 			     ${libnetfilter_conntrack_LIBS}
+xtables_nft_multi_LDFLAGS  = -L../extensions/ -liptext -liptext_arpt -liptext_ebt -liptext4 -liptext6
 xtables_nft_multi_CFLAGS  += -DENABLE_NFTABLES -DENABLE_IPV4 -DENABLE_IPV6
 xtables_nft_multi_SOURCES += nft.c nft.h \
 			     nft-arp.c nft-ipv4.c nft-ipv6.c \