--- a/src/mk/commondefs
+++ b/src/mk/commondefs
@@ -12,8 +12,8 @@
 	       -I$(depth)/utils 
 
 # We happen to be using gcc on all platforms for now. Can be overridden in
-# sys file anyway
-PIC_CXXFLAGS = -fPIC -DPIC
+# the sys file or localdefs
+SYSPICFLAGS = -fPIC -DPIC
 
 BIGLIB = $(depth)/lib/librcl.a