--- a/extensions/GNUmakefile.in
+++ b/extensions/GNUmakefile.in
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ pf6_solibs    := $(patsubst %,libip6t_%.
 #
 # Building blocks
 #
-targets := libext.a libext4.a libext6.a libext_ebt.a libext_arpt.a matches.man targets.man
+targets := libiptext.so libiptext4.so libiptext6.so libiptext_ebt.so libiptext_arpt.so matches.man targets.man
 targets_install :=
 libext_objs := ${pfx_objs}
 libext_ebt_objs := ${pfb_objs}
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ clean:
 distclean: clean
 
 init%.o: init%.c
-	${AM_VERBOSE_CC} ${CC} ${AM_CPPFLAGS} ${AM_DEPFLAGS} ${AM_CFLAGS} -D_INIT=$*_init ${CFLAGS} -o $@ -c $<;
+	${AM_VERBOSE_CC} ${CC} ${AM_CPPFLAGS} ${AM_DEPFLAGS} ${AM_CFLAGS} -D_INIT=$*_init  -DPIC -fPIC ${CFLAGS} -o $@ -c $<;
 
 -include .*.d
 
@@ -144,22 +144,22 @@ xt_connlabel_LIBADD = @libnetfilter_conn
 #	handling code in the Makefiles.
 #
 lib%.o: ${srcdir}/lib%.c
-	${AM_VERBOSE_CC} ${CC} ${AM_CPPFLAGS} ${AM_DEPFLAGS} ${AM_CFLAGS} -DNO_SHARED_LIBS=1 -D_INIT=lib$*_init ${CFLAGS} -o $@ -c $<;
+	${AM_VERBOSE_CC} ${CC} ${AM_CPPFLAGS} ${AM_DEPFLAGS} ${AM_CFLAGS} -DNO_SHARED_LIBS=1 -D_INIT=lib$*_init -DPIC -fPIC ${CFLAGS} -o $@ -c $<;
 
-libext.a: initext.o ${libext_objs}
-	${AM_VERBOSE_AR} ${AR} crs $@ $^;
+libiptext.so: initext.o ${libext_objs}
+	${AM_VERBOSE_CCLD} ${CCLD} ${AM_LDFLAGS} -shared ${LDFLAGS} -o $@ $^ -L../libxtables/.libs -lxtables ${$*_LIBADD};
 
-libext_ebt.a: initextb.o ${libext_ebt_objs}
-	${AM_VERBOSE_AR} ${AR} crs $@ $^;
+libiptext_ebt.so: initextb.o ${libext_ebt__objs}
+	${AM_VERBOSE_CCLD} ${CCLD} ${AM_LDFLAGS} -shared ${LDFLAGS} -o $@ $^ -L../libxtables/.libs -lxtables ${$*_LIBADD};
 
-libext_arpt.a: initexta.o ${libext_arpt_objs}
-	${AM_VERBOSE_AR} ${AR} crs $@ $^;
+libiptext_arpt.so: initexta.o ${libext_arpt__objs}
+	${AM_VERBOSE_CCLD} ${CCLD} ${AM_LDFLAGS} -shared ${LDFLAGS} -o $@ $^ -L../libxtables/.libs -lxtables ${$*_LIBADD};
 
-libext4.a: initext4.o ${libext4_objs}
-	${AM_VERBOSE_AR} ${AR} crs $@ $^;
+libiptext4.so: initext4.o ${libext4_objs}
+	${AM_VERBOSE_CCLD} ${CCLD} ${AM_LDFLAGS} -shared ${LDFLAGS} -o $@ $^ -L../libxtables/.libs -lxtables ${$*_LIBADD};
 
-libext6.a: initext6.o ${libext6_objs}
-	${AM_VERBOSE_AR} ${AR} crs $@ $^;
+libiptext6.so: initext6.o ${libext6_objs}
+	${AM_VERBOSE_CCLD} ${CCLD} ${AM_LDFLAGS} -shared ${LDFLAGS} -o $@ $^ -L../libxtables/.libs -lxtables ${$*_LIBADD};
 
 initext_func  := $(addprefix xt_,${pfx_build_static})
 initextb_func := $(addprefix ebt_,${pfb_build_static})
--- a/iptables/Makefile.am
+++ b/iptables/Makefile.am
@@ -8,7 +8,8 @@ BUILT_SOURCES =
 
 xtables_multi_SOURCES  = xtables-multi.c iptables-xml.c
 xtables_multi_CFLAGS   = ${AM_CFLAGS}
-xtables_multi_LDADD    = ../extensions/libext.a
+xtables_multi_LDADD    =
+xtables_multi_LDFLAGS  = -L../extensions/ -liptext
 if ENABLE_STATIC
 xtables_multi_CFLAGS  += -DALL_INCLUSIVE
 endif
@@ -16,13 +17,15 @@ if ENABLE_IPV4
 xtables_multi_SOURCES += iptables-save.c iptables-restore.c \
                          iptables-standalone.c iptables.c
 xtables_multi_CFLAGS  += -DENABLE_IPV4
-xtables_multi_LDADD   += ../libiptc/libip4tc.la ../extensions/libext4.a
+xtables_multi_LDADD   += ../libiptc/libip4tc.la
+xtables_multi_LDFLAGS += -liptext4
 endif
 if ENABLE_IPV6
 xtables_multi_SOURCES += ip6tables-save.c ip6tables-restore.c \
                           ip6tables-standalone.c ip6tables.c
 xtables_multi_CFLAGS  += -DENABLE_IPV6
-xtables_multi_LDADD   += ../libiptc/libip6tc.la ../extensions/libext6.a
+xtables_multi_LDADD   += ../libiptc/libip6tc.la
+xtables_multi_LDFLAGS += -liptext6
 endif
 xtables_multi_SOURCES += xshared.c
 xtables_multi_LDADD   += ../libxtables/libxtables.la -lm