diff --git a/byterun/io.c b/byterun/io.c
index 614f63db9..f473ce7d2 100644
--- a/byterun/io.c
+++ b/byterun/io.c
@@ -15,8 +15,6 @@
 
 /* Buffered input/output. */
 
-#define _FILE_OFFSET_BITS 64
-
 #include <errno.h>
 #include <fcntl.h>
 #include <limits.h>
diff --git a/byterun/sys.c b/byterun/sys.c
index 75cc05da3..f82fce4b3 100644
--- a/byterun/sys.c
+++ b/byterun/sys.c
@@ -15,8 +15,6 @@
 
 /* Basic system calls */
 
-#define _FILE_OFFSET_BITS 64
-
 #include <errno.h>
 #include <fcntl.h>
 #include <signal.h>
diff --git a/configure b/configure
index dd0e45874..342d77088 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -645,6 +645,11 @@ fi
 echo "#define OCAML_OS_TYPE \"$ostype\"" >> s.h
 echo "#define OCAML_STDLIB_DIR \"$libdir\"" >> s.h
 
+# Use 64-bit file offset if possible
+
+bytecccompopts="$bytecccompopts -D_FILE_OFFSET_BITS=64"
+nativecccompopts="$nativecccompopts -D_FILE_OFFSET_BITS=64"
+
 # Check the semantics of signal handlers
 
 if sh ./hasgot sigaction sigprocmask; then
diff --git a/otherlibs/unix/Makefile b/otherlibs/unix/Makefile
index b3d39e29b..bea9c8026 100644
--- a/otherlibs/unix/Makefile
+++ b/otherlibs/unix/Makefile
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ include ../../config/Makefile
 
 # Compilation options
 CC=$(BYTECC)
-CFLAGS=-I../../byterun -O $(BYTECCCOMPOPTS) $(SHAREDCCCOMPOPTS) -D_FILE_OFFSET_BITS=64
+CFLAGS=-I../../byterun -O $(BYTECCCOMPOPTS) $(SHAREDCCCOMPOPTS)
 CAMLC=../../boot/ocamlrun ../../ocamlc -I ../../stdlib
 CAMLOPT=../../boot/ocamlrun ../../ocamlopt -I ../../stdlib
 MKLIB=../../boot/ocamlrun ../../tools/ocamlmklib