diff --git a/Makefile.config.in b/Makefile.config.in
index c8c4446b4..3505f337e 100644
--- a/Makefile.config.in
+++ b/Makefile.config.in
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ LDFLAGS = @LDFLAGS@
 LIBARCHIVE_LIBS = @LIBARCHIVE_LIBS@
 LIBBROTLI_LIBS = @LIBBROTLI_LIBS@
 LIBCURL_LIBS = @LIBCURL_LIBS@
+LOWDOWN_LIBS = @LOWDOWN_LIBS@
 OPENSSL_LIBS = @OPENSSL_LIBS@
 LIBSECCOMP_LIBS = @LIBSECCOMP_LIBS@
 PACKAGE_NAME = @PACKAGE_NAME@
diff --git a/src/libcmd/local.mk b/src/libcmd/local.mk
index 8b0662753..7a2f83cc7 100644
--- a/src/libcmd/local.mk
+++ b/src/libcmd/local.mk
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ libcmd_SOURCES := $(wildcard $(d)/*.cc)
 
 libcmd_CXXFLAGS += -I src/libutil -I src/libstore -I src/libexpr -I src/libmain -I src/libfetchers
 
-libcmd_LDFLAGS += -llowdown -pthread
+libcmd_LDFLAGS += $(LOWDOWN_LIBS) -pthread
 
 libcmd_LIBS = libstore libutil libexpr libmain libfetchers