diff --git a/builder/Makefile.am b/builder/Makefile.am
index 4e77f52e3..b2d5ad33e 100644
--- a/builder/Makefile.am
+++ b/builder/Makefile.am
@@ -167,7 +167,11 @@ BEST    = opt
 OCAMLLINKFLAGS = mlguestfs.cmxa mllib.cmxa customize.cmxa
 endif
 
-virt_builder_DEPENDENCIES = $(OBJECTS) $(top_srcdir)/ocaml-link.sh
+virt_builder_DEPENDENCIES = \
+	$(OBJECTS) \
+	../mllib/mllib.$(MLARCHIVE) \
+	../customize/customize.$(MLARCHIVE) \
+	$(top_srcdir)/ocaml-link.sh
 virt_builder_LINK = \
 	$(top_srcdir)/ocaml-link.sh -cclib '$(OCAMLCLIBS)' -- \
 	  $(OCAMLFIND) $(BEST) $(OCAMLFLAGS) $(OCAMLPACKAGES) $(OCAMLLINKFLAGS) \
@@ -236,7 +240,11 @@ yajl_tests_THEOBJECTS = $(yajl_tests_BOBJECTS)
 yajl_tests.cmo: OCAMLPACKAGES += $(OCAMLPACKAGES_TESTS)
 endif
 
-yajl_tests_DEPENDENCIES = $(yajl_tests_THEOBJECTS) $(top_srcdir)/ocaml-link.sh
+yajl_tests_DEPENDENCIES = \
+	$(yajl_tests_THEOBJECTS) \
+	../mllib/mllib.$(MLARCHIVE) \
+	../customize/customize.$(MLARCHIVE) \
+	$(top_srcdir)/ocaml-link.sh
 yajl_tests_LINK = \
 	$(top_srcdir)/ocaml-link.sh -cclib '$(OCAMLCLIBS)' -- \
 	  $(OCAMLFIND) $(BEST) $(OCAMLFLAGS) $(OCAMLPACKAGES) $(OCAMLPACKAGES_TESTS) $(OCAMLLINKFLAGS) \
diff --git a/customize/Makefile.am b/customize/Makefile.am
index 72d5f39d1..818462c3a 100644
--- a/customize/Makefile.am
+++ b/customize/Makefile.am
@@ -165,7 +165,8 @@ OCAMLFLAGS = $(OCAML_FLAGS) $(OCAML_WARN_ERROR)
 virt_customize_DEPENDENCIES = \
 	$(top_srcdir)/ocaml-link.sh \
 	$(CUSTOMIZE_THEOBJECTS) \
-	$(CUSTOMIZE_CMA)
+	$(CUSTOMIZE_CMA) \
+	../mllib/mllib.$(MLARCHIVE)
 virt_customize_LINK = \
 	$(top_srcdir)/ocaml-link.sh -cclib '$(OCAMLCLIBS)' -- \
 	  $(OCAMLFIND) $(BEST) $(OCAMLFLAGS) $(OCAMLPACKAGES) $(OCAMLLINKFLAGS) \
diff --git a/dib/Makefile.am b/dib/Makefile.am
index 4cf052f24..a57d89d74 100644
--- a/dib/Makefile.am
+++ b/dib/Makefile.am
@@ -89,7 +89,10 @@ BEST    = opt
 OCAMLLINKFLAGS = mlguestfs.cmxa mllib.cmxa
 endif
 
-virt_dib_DEPENDENCIES = $(OBJECTS) $(top_srcdir)/ocaml-link.sh
+virt_dib_DEPENDENCIES = \
+	$(OBJECTS) \
+	../mllib/mllib.$(MLARCHIVE) \
+	$(top_srcdir)/ocaml-link.sh
 virt_dib_LINK = \
 	$(top_srcdir)/ocaml-link.sh -cclib '$(OCAMLCLIBS)' -- \
 	  $(OCAMLFIND) $(BEST) $(OCAMLFLAGS) $(OCAMLPACKAGES) $(OCAMLLINKFLAGS) \
diff --git a/get-kernel/Makefile.am b/get-kernel/Makefile.am
index 2ad3ad072..e1459725d 100644
--- a/get-kernel/Makefile.am
+++ b/get-kernel/Makefile.am
@@ -86,7 +86,10 @@ BEST    = opt
 OCAMLLINKFLAGS = mlguestfs.cmxa mllib.cmxa
 endif
 
-virt_get_kernel_DEPENDENCIES = $(OBJECTS) $(top_srcdir)/ocaml-link.sh
+virt_get_kernel_DEPENDENCIES = \
+	$(OBJECTS) \
+	../mllib/mllib.$(MLARCHIVE) \
+	$(top_srcdir)/ocaml-link.sh
 virt_get_kernel_LINK = \
 	$(top_srcdir)/ocaml-link.sh -cclib '$(OCAMLCLIBS)' -- \
 	  $(OCAMLFIND) $(BEST) $(OCAMLFLAGS) $(OCAMLPACKAGES) $(OCAMLLINKFLAGS) \
diff --git a/mllib/Makefile.am b/mllib/Makefile.am
index 4f50c5273..273966863 100644
--- a/mllib/Makefile.am
+++ b/mllib/Makefile.am
@@ -185,14 +185,20 @@ BEST    = opt
 OCAMLLINKFLAGS = mlguestfs.cmxa
 endif
 
-common_utils_tests_DEPENDENCIES = $(common_utils_tests_THEOBJECTS) $(top_srcdir)/ocaml-link.sh
+common_utils_tests_DEPENDENCIES = \
+	$(common_utils_tests_THEOBJECTS) \
+	$(MLLIB_CMA) \
+	$(top_srcdir)/ocaml-link.sh
 common_utils_tests_LINK = \
 	$(top_srcdir)/ocaml-link.sh -cclib '-lutils $(LIBXML2_LIBS) -lgnu' -- \
 	  $(OCAMLFIND) $(BEST) $(OCAMLFLAGS) $(OCAMLLINKFLAGS) \
 	  $(OCAMLPACKAGES) $(OCAMLPACKAGES_TESTS) \
 	  $(common_utils_tests_THEOBJECTS) -o $@
 
-JSON_tests_DEPENDENCIES = $(JSON_tests_THEOBJECTS) $(top_srcdir)/ocaml-link.sh
+JSON_tests_DEPENDENCIES = \
+	$(JSON_tests_THEOBJECTS) \
+	$(MLLIB_CMA) \
+	$(top_srcdir)/ocaml-link.sh
 JSON_tests_LINK = \
 	$(top_srcdir)/ocaml-link.sh -- \
 	  $(OCAMLFIND) $(BEST) $(OCAMLFLAGS) $(OCAMLLINKFLAGS) \
diff --git a/resize/Makefile.am b/resize/Makefile.am
index 20d264b5b..96604b697 100644
--- a/resize/Makefile.am
+++ b/resize/Makefile.am
@@ -83,7 +83,10 @@ BEST    = opt
 OCAMLLINKFLAGS = mlguestfs.cmxa mllib.cmxa
 endif
 
-virt_resize_DEPENDENCIES = $(OBJECTS) $(top_srcdir)/ocaml-link.sh
+virt_resize_DEPENDENCIES = \
+	$(OBJECTS) \
+	../mllib/mllib.$(MLARCHIVE) \
+	$(top_srcdir)/ocaml-link.sh
 virt_resize_LINK = \
 	$(top_srcdir)/ocaml-link.sh -cclib '$(OCAMLCLIBS)' -- \
 	  $(OCAMLFIND) $(BEST) $(OCAMLFLAGS) $(OCAMLPACKAGES) $(OCAMLLINKFLAGS) \
diff --git a/sparsify/Makefile.am b/sparsify/Makefile.am
index 5c0339440..847825a48 100644
--- a/sparsify/Makefile.am
+++ b/sparsify/Makefile.am
@@ -87,8 +87,10 @@ BEST    = opt
 OCAMLLINKFLAGS = mlguestfs.cmxa mllib.cmxa
 endif
 
-virt_sparsify_DEPENDENCIES = $(OBJECTS) $(top_srcdir)/ocaml-link.sh
-
+virt_sparsify_DEPENDENCIES = \
+	$(OBJECTS) \
+	../mllib/mllib.$(MLARCHIVE) \
+	$(top_srcdir)/ocaml-link.sh
 virt_sparsify_LINK = \
 	$(top_srcdir)/ocaml-link.sh -cclib '$(OCAMLCLIBS)' -- \
 	  $(OCAMLFIND) $(BEST) $(OCAMLFLAGS) $(OCAMLPACKAGES) $(OCAMLLINKFLAGS) \
diff --git a/subdir-rules.mk b/subdir-rules.mk
index dd59349ee..525d21071 100644
--- a/subdir-rules.mk
+++ b/subdir-rules.mk
@@ -47,6 +47,12 @@ LOG_DRIVER = env $(SHELL) $(top_srcdir)/build-aux/guestfs-test-driver
 # See also:
 # guestfs-hacking(1) section "HOW OCAML PROGRAMS ARE COMPILED AND LINKED"
 
+if !HAVE_OCAMLOPT
+MLARCHIVE = cma
+else
+MLARCHIVE = cmxa
+endif
+
 .mli.cmi:
 	$(OCAMLFIND) ocamlc $(OCAMLFLAGS) $(OCAMLPACKAGES) -c $< -o $@
 .ml.cmo:
diff --git a/sysprep/Makefile.am b/sysprep/Makefile.am
index 25193b2c0..1504df2d1 100644
--- a/sysprep/Makefile.am
+++ b/sysprep/Makefile.am
@@ -135,7 +135,11 @@ BEST    = opt
 OCAMLLINKFLAGS = mlguestfs.cmxa mllib.cmxa customize.cmxa
 endif
 
-virt_sysprep_DEPENDENCIES = $(OBJECTS) $(top_srcdir)/ocaml-link.sh
+virt_sysprep_DEPENDENCIES = \
+	$(OBJECTS) \
+	../mllib/mllib.$(MLARCHIVE) \
+	../customize/customize.$(MLARCHIVE) \
+	$(top_srcdir)/ocaml-link.sh
 virt_sysprep_LINK = \
 	$(top_srcdir)/ocaml-link.sh -cclib '$(OCAMLCLIBS)' -- \
 	  $(OCAMLFIND) $(BEST) $(OCAMLFLAGS) $(OCAMLPACKAGES) $(OCAMLLINKFLAGS) \
diff --git a/v2v/Makefile.am b/v2v/Makefile.am
index d5d4c042f..988cba546 100644
--- a/v2v/Makefile.am
+++ b/v2v/Makefile.am
@@ -189,7 +189,9 @@ COPY_TO_LOCAL_OBJECTS = $(COPY_TO_LOCAL_XOBJECTS)
 endif
 
 virt_v2v_copy_to_local_DEPENDENCIES = \
-	$(COPY_TO_LOCAL_OBJECTS) $(top_srcdir)/ocaml-link.sh
+	$(COPY_TO_LOCAL_OBJECTS) \
+	../mllib/mllib.$(MLARCHIVE) \
+	$(top_srcdir)/ocaml-link.sh
 virt_v2v_copy_to_local_LINK = \
 	$(top_srcdir)/ocaml-link.sh -cclib '$(OCAMLCLIBS)' -- \
 	  $(OCAMLFIND) $(BEST) $(OCAMLFLAGS) $(OCAMLPACKAGES) $(OCAMLLINKFLAGS) \
@@ -405,7 +407,10 @@ v2v_unit_tests_THEOBJECTS = $(v2v_unit_tests_XOBJECTS)
 v2v_unit_tests.cmx: OCAMLPACKAGES += -package oUnit
 endif
 
-v2v_unit_tests_DEPENDENCIES = $(v2v_unit_tests_THEOBJECTS) $(top_srcdir)/ocaml-link.sh
+v2v_unit_tests_DEPENDENCIES = \
+	$(v2v_unit_tests_THEOBJECTS) \
+	../mllib/mllib.$(MLARCHIVE) \
+	$(top_srcdir)/ocaml-link.sh
 v2v_unit_tests_LINK = \
 	$(top_srcdir)/ocaml-link.sh -cclib '$(OCAMLCLIBS)' -- \
 	  $(OCAMLFIND) $(BEST) $(OCAMLFLAGS) \