diff --git a/Makefile.pre.in b/Makefile.pre.in
index b356f6293e..89fddd4d4e 100644
--- a/Makefile.pre.in
+++ b/Makefile.pre.in
@@ -702,7 +702,7 @@ clinic: check-clean-src $(srcdir)/Modules/_blake2/blake2s_impl.c
 
 # Build the interpreter
 $(BUILDPYTHON):	Programs/python.o $(LINK_PYTHON_DEPS)
-	$(LINKCC) $(PY_CORE_LDFLAGS) $(LINKFORSHARED) -o $@ Programs/python.o $(LINK_PYTHON_OBJS) $(LIBS) $(MODLIBS) $(SYSLIBS)
+	$(LINKCC) $(PY_CORE_LDFLAGS) $(LINKFORSHARED) -o $@ Programs/python.o $(LINK_PYTHON_OBJS) $(LIBS) $(SYSLIBS)
 
 platform: $(PYTHON_FOR_BUILD_DEPS) pybuilddir.txt
 	$(RUNSHARED) $(PYTHON_FOR_BUILD) -c 'import sys ; from sysconfig import get_platform ; print("%s-%d.%d" % (get_platform(), *sys.version_info[:2]))' >platform