diff --git a/lib/mkmf.rb b/lib/mkmf.rb
index c2b6c90..20f179b 100644
--- a/lib/mkmf.rb
+++ b/lib/mkmf.rb
@@ -468,7 +468,7 @@ MSG
     end
   end
 
-  def link_command(ldflags, opt="", libpath=$LIBPATH|$DEFLIBPATH)
+  def link_command(ldflags, opt="", libpath=[$libdir]|$LIBPATH|$DEFLIBPATH)
     librubyarg = $extmk ? $LIBRUBYARG_STATIC : "$(LIBRUBYARG)"
     conf = RbConfig::CONFIG.merge('hdrdir' => $hdrdir.quote,
                                   'src' => "#{CONFTEST_C}",
@@ -504,7 +504,7 @@ MSG
                      conf)
   end
 
-  def libpathflag(libpath=$LIBPATH|$DEFLIBPATH)
+  def libpathflag(libpath=[$libdir]|$LIBPATH|$DEFLIBPATH)
     libpath.map{|x|
       case x
       when "$(topdir)", /\A\./
@@ -2180,7 +2180,7 @@ RULES
   #
   def create_makefile(target, srcprefix = nil)
     $target = target
-    libpath = $LIBPATH|$DEFLIBPATH
+    libpath = [$libdir]|$LIBPATH|$DEFLIBPATH
     message "creating Makefile\n"
     MakeMakefile.rm_f "#{CONFTEST}*"
     if CONFIG["DLEXT"] == $OBJEXT
@@ -2261,7 +2261,7 @@ RULES
     conf = yield(conf) if block_given?
     mfile.puts(conf)
     mfile.print "
-libpath = #{($LIBPATH|$DEFLIBPATH).join(" ")}
+libpath = #{([$libdir]|$LIBPATH|$DEFLIBPATH).join(" ")}
 LIBPATH = #{libpath}
 DEFFILE = #{deffile}