diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index ce685610d..a61026601 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ MODULES		= src src/common po
 PREFIX		= /usr/local
 DESTDIR		= 
 LIBDIR		= /lib
+export LIBDIR
 MANDIR		= $(DESTDIR)$(PREFIX)/share/man
 
 FIND		= find . \( -name '*.glade' -o -name '*.py' -o -name '*.xpm' -o -name '*.gif' -o -name '*.png' -o -name '*.wav' \)
diff --git a/src/common/Makefile b/src/common/Makefile
index bba661253..7c714119a 100644
--- a/src/common/Makefile
+++ b/src/common/Makefile
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ LDFLAGS = `pkg-config --libs gtk+-2.0 pygtk-2.0`
 all: idle.so
 
 idle.so:
-	$(CC) $(CFLAGS) $(LDFLAGS) -shared idle.c $^ -o $@ -L/usr/X11R6/lib -lX11 -lXss -lXext
+	$(CC) $(CFLAGS) $(LDFLAGS) -shared idle.c $^ -o $@ -L/usr/X11R6$(LIBDIR) -lX11 -lXss -lXext
 
 clean:
 	rm -f *.so