diff --git a/common.gypi b/common.gypi
index 758d6eba189736..2ad7d5e9ed484f 100644
--- a/common.gypi
+++ b/common.gypi
@@ -333,6 +333,7 @@
       [ 'OS in "linux freebsd openbsd solaris android aix cloudabi"', {
         'cflags': [ '-Wall', '-Wextra', '-Wno-unused-parameter', ],
         'cflags_cc': [ '-fno-rtti', '-fno-exceptions', '-std=gnu++1y' ],
+        'defines': [ '__STDC_FORMAT_MACROS' ],
         'ldflags': [ '-rdynamic' ],
         'target_conditions': [
           # The 1990s toolchain on SmartOS can't handle thin archives.