diff --git a/ext/NDBM_File/Makefile.PL b/ext/NDBM_File/Makefile.PL
index fe2cb407f572..f806f6c06ade 100644
--- a/ext/NDBM_File/Makefile.PL
+++ b/ext/NDBM_File/Makefile.PL
@@ -1,7 +1,16 @@
+use strict;
 use ExtUtils::MakeMaker;
+
+our @LIBS;
+if( $^O eq 'msys' ) {
+    @LIBS = ("-lgdbm -lgdbm_compat");
+} else {
+    @LIBS = ("-L/usr/local/lib -lndbm", "-ldbm -lucb");
+};
+
 WriteMakefile(
     NAME	=> 'NDBM_File',
-    LIBS => ["-L/usr/local/lib -lndbm", "-ldbm -lucb"],
+    LIBS => \@LIBS,
     XSPROTOARG => '-noprototypes', 		# XXX remove later?
     VERSION_FROM => 'NDBM_File.pm',
 );
diff --git a/ext/ODBM_File/Makefile.PL b/ext/ODBM_File/Makefile.PL
index 0ae31f9c719b..f6d8061016f4 100644
--- a/ext/ODBM_File/Makefile.PL
+++ b/ext/ODBM_File/Makefile.PL
@@ -1,7 +1,16 @@
+use strict;
 use ExtUtils::MakeMaker;
+
+our @LIBS;
+if( $^O eq 'msys' ) {
+    @LIBS = ("-lgdbm -lgdbm_compat");
+} else {
+    @LIBS = ("-ldbm -lucb");
+};
+
 WriteMakefile(
     NAME	=> 'ODBM_File',
-    LIBS => ["-ldbm -lucb"],
+    LIBS => \@LIBS,
     XSPROTOARG => '-noprototypes', 		# XXX remove later?
     VERSION_FROM => 'ODBM_File.pm', 
 );