diff --git a/core/combo/HOST_darwin-x86.mk b/core/combo/HOST_darwin-x86.mk
index 534c82308..9a55cb540 100644
--- a/core/combo/HOST_darwin-x86.mk
+++ b/core/combo/HOST_darwin-x86.mk
@@ -31,14 +31,13 @@ HOST_CUSTOM_LD_COMMAND := true
 define transform-host-o-to-shared-lib-inner
 $(hide) $(PRIVATE_CXX) \
         -dynamiclib -single_module -read_only_relocs suppress \
-        $($(PRIVATE_2ND_ARCH_VAR_PREFIX)HOST_GLOBAL_LD_DIRS) \
         $(if $(PRIVATE_NO_DEFAULT_COMPILER_FLAGS),, \
             $(PRIVATE_HOST_GLOBAL_LDFLAGS) \
         ) \
         $(PRIVATE_ALL_OBJECTS) \
         $(addprefix -force_load , $(PRIVATE_ALL_WHOLE_STATIC_LIBRARIES)) \
-        $(call normalize-host-libraries,$(PRIVATE_ALL_SHARED_LIBRARIES)) \
-        $(call normalize-host-libraries,$(PRIVATE_ALL_STATIC_LIBRARIES)) \
+        $(PRIVATE_ALL_SHARED_LIBRARIES) \
+        $(PRIVATE_ALL_STATIC_LIBRARIES) \
         $(PRIVATE_LDLIBS) \
         -o $@ \
         -install_name @rpath/$(notdir $@) \
@@ -53,14 +52,13 @@ $(hide) $(PRIVATE_CXX) \
           -Wl,-rpath,@loader_path/$(path)) \
         -o $@ \
         -Wl,-headerpad_max_install_names \
-        $($(PRIVATE_2ND_ARCH_VAR_PREFIX)HOST_GLOBAL_LD_DIRS) \
         $(if $(PRIVATE_NO_DEFAULT_COMPILER_FLAGS),, \
            $(PRIVATE_HOST_GLOBAL_LDFLAGS) \
         ) \
-        $(call normalize-host-libraries,$(PRIVATE_ALL_SHARED_LIBRARIES)) \
+        $(PRIVATE_ALL_SHARED_LIBRARIES) \
         $(PRIVATE_ALL_OBJECTS) \
-        $(call normalize-host-libraries,$(PRIVATE_ALL_WHOLE_STATIC_LIBRARIES)) \
-        $(call normalize-host-libraries,$(PRIVATE_ALL_STATIC_LIBRARIES)) \
+        $(PRIVATE_ALL_WHOLE_STATIC_LIBRARIES) \
+        $(PRIVATE_ALL_STATIC_LIBRARIES) \
         $(PRIVATE_LDFLAGS) \
         $(PRIVATE_LDLIBS)
 endef
diff --git a/core/config.mk b/core/config.mk
index f04947d5a..6178404b2 100644
--- a/core/config.mk
+++ b/core/config.mk
@@ -684,9 +684,6 @@ else
 RELATIVE_PWD :=
 endif
 
-HOST_GLOBAL_LD_DIRS := -L$(HOST_OUT_INTERMEDIATE_LIBRARIES)
-TARGET_GLOBAL_LD_DIRS := -L$(TARGET_OUT_INTERMEDIATE_LIBRARIES)
-
 HOST_PROJECT_INCLUDES :=
 HOST_PROJECT_SYSTEM_INCLUDES := $(HOST_OUT_HEADERS)
 TARGET_PROJECT_INCLUDES :=
@@ -695,24 +692,20 @@ TARGET_PROJECT_SYSTEM_INCLUDES := $(TARGET_OUT_HEADERS) \
 		$(TARGET_PRODUCT_KERNEL_HEADERS)
 
 ifdef TARGET_2ND_ARCH
-$(TARGET_2ND_ARCH_VAR_PREFIX)TARGET_GLOBAL_LD_DIRS := -L$($(TARGET_2ND_ARCH_VAR_PREFIX)TARGET_OUT_INTERMEDIATE_LIBRARIES)
 $(TARGET_2ND_ARCH_VAR_PREFIX)TARGET_PROJECT_INCLUDES := $(TARGET_PROJECT_INCLUDES)
 $(TARGET_2ND_ARCH_VAR_PREFIX)TARGET_PROJECT_SYSTEM_INCLUDES := $(TARGET_PROJECT_SYSTEM_INCLUDES)
 endif
 
 ifdef HOST_2ND_ARCH
-$(HOST_2ND_ARCH_VAR_PREFIX)HOST_GLOBAL_LD_DIRS := -L$($(HOST_2ND_ARCH_VAR_PREFIX)HOST_OUT_INTERMEDIATE_LIBRARIES)
 $(HOST_2ND_ARCH_VAR_PREFIX)HOST_PROJECT_INCLUDES := $(HOST_PROJECT_INCLUDES)
 $(HOST_2ND_ARCH_VAR_PREFIX)HOST_PROJECT_SYSTEM_INCLUDES := $(HOST_PROJECT_SYSTEM_INCLUDES)
 endif
 
 ifdef HOST_CROSS_OS
-HOST_CROSS_GLOBAL_LD_DIRS := -L$(HOST_CROSS_OUT_INTERMEDIATE_LIBRARIES)
 HOST_CROSS_PROJECT_INCLUDES :=
 HOST_CROSS_PROJECT_SYSTEM_INCLUDES := $(HOST_CROSS_OUT_HEADERS)
 
 ifdef HOST_CROSS_2ND_ARCH
-$(HOST_CROSS_2ND_ARCH_VAR_PREFIX)HOST_CROSS_GLOBAL_LD_DIRS := -L$($(HOST_CROSS_2ND_ARCH_VAR_PREFIX)HOST_CROSS_OUT_INTERMEDIATE_LIBRARIES)
 $(HOST_CROSS_2ND_ARCH_VAR_PREFIX)HOST_CROSS_PROJECT_INCLUDES:= $(HOST_CROSS_PROJECT_INCLUDES)
 $(HOST_CROSS_2ND_ARCH_VAR_PREFIX)HOST_CROSS_PROJECT_SYSTEM_INCLUDES:= $(HOST_CROSS_PROJECT_SYSTEM_INCLUDES)
 endif
diff --git a/core/definitions.mk b/core/definitions.mk
index 832f969e4..2c09910b0 100644
--- a/core/definitions.mk
+++ b/core/definitions.mk
@@ -593,25 +593,6 @@ $(strip \
 )
 endef
 
-###########################################################
-## Convert "path/to/libXXX.so" to "-lXXX".
-## Any "path/to/libXXX.a" elements pass through unchanged.
-###########################################################
-
-define normalize-libraries
-$(foreach so,$(filter %.so,$(1)),-l$(patsubst lib%.so,%,$(notdir $(so))))\
-$(filter-out %.so,$(1))
-endef
-
-# TODO: change users to call the common version.
-define normalize-host-libraries
-$(call normalize-libraries,$(1))
-endef
-
-define normalize-target-libraries
-$(call normalize-libraries,$(1))
-endef
-
 ###########################################################
 ## Convert a list of short module names (e.g., "framework", "Browser")
 ## into the list of files that are built for those modules.
@@ -1674,9 +1655,9 @@ $(hide) $(PRIVATE_CXX) -pie \
 	-Wl,--gc-sections \
 	$(PRIVATE_ALL_OBJECTS) \
 	-Wl,--whole-archive \
-	$(call normalize-target-libraries,$(PRIVATE_ALL_WHOLE_STATIC_LIBRARIES)) \
+	$(PRIVATE_ALL_WHOLE_STATIC_LIBRARIES) \
 	-Wl,--no-whole-archive \
-	$(call normalize-target-libraries,$(PRIVATE_ALL_STATIC_LIBRARIES)) \
+	$(PRIVATE_ALL_STATIC_LIBRARIES) \
 	$(PRIVATE_LDFLAGS) \
 	-o $@
 endef
@@ -1693,9 +1674,9 @@ $(hide) $(PRIVATE_CXX) \
 	-Wl,--gc-sections \
 	$(PRIVATE_ALL_OBJECTS) \
 	-Wl,--whole-archive \
-	$(call normalize-target-libraries,$(PRIVATE_ALL_WHOLE_STATIC_LIBRARIES)) \
+	$(PRIVATE_ALL_WHOLE_STATIC_LIBRARIES) \
 	-Wl,--no-whole-archive \
-	$(call normalize-target-libraries,$(PRIVATE_ALL_STATIC_LIBRARIES)) \
+	$(PRIVATE_ALL_STATIC_LIBRARIES) \
 	$(PRIVATE_LDFLAGS) \
 	-Wl,-Map=$(@).map \
 	-o $@
@@ -1788,21 +1769,20 @@ $(hide) $(PRIVATE_CXX) \
 	-Wl,-rpath,\$$ORIGIN/../$(notdir $($(PRIVATE_2ND_ARCH_VAR_PREFIX)$(PRIVATE_PREFIX)OUT_SHARED_LIBRARIES)) \
 	-Wl,-rpath,\$$ORIGIN/$(notdir $($(PRIVATE_2ND_ARCH_VAR_PREFIX)$(PRIVATE_PREFIX)OUT_SHARED_LIBRARIES)) \
 	-shared -Wl,-soname,$(notdir $@) \
-	$($(PRIVATE_2ND_ARCH_VAR_PREFIX)$(PRIVATE_PREFIX)GLOBAL_LD_DIRS) \
 	$(if $(PRIVATE_NO_DEFAULT_COMPILER_FLAGS),, \
 	   $(PRIVATE_HOST_GLOBAL_LDFLAGS) \
 	) \
 	$(PRIVATE_LDFLAGS) \
 	$(PRIVATE_ALL_OBJECTS) \
 	-Wl,--whole-archive \
-	$(call normalize-host-libraries,$(PRIVATE_ALL_WHOLE_STATIC_LIBRARIES)) \
+	$(PRIVATE_ALL_WHOLE_STATIC_LIBRARIES) \
 	-Wl,--no-whole-archive \
 	$(if $(PRIVATE_GROUP_STATIC_LIBRARIES),-Wl$(comma)--start-group) \
-	$(call normalize-host-libraries,$(PRIVATE_ALL_STATIC_LIBRARIES)) \
+	$(PRIVATE_ALL_STATIC_LIBRARIES) \
 	$(if $(PRIVATE_GROUP_STATIC_LIBRARIES),-Wl$(comma)--end-group) \
 	$(if $(filter true,$(NATIVE_COVERAGE)),-lgcov) \
 	$(if $(filter true,$(NATIVE_COVERAGE)),$(PRIVATE_HOST_LIBPROFILE_RT)) \
-	$(call normalize-host-libraries,$(PRIVATE_ALL_SHARED_LIBRARIES)) \
+	$(PRIVATE_ALL_SHARED_LIBRARIES) \
 	-o $@ \
 	$(PRIVATE_LDLIBS)
 endef
@@ -1834,10 +1814,10 @@ $(hide) $(PRIVATE_CXX) \
 	$(PRIVATE_TARGET_CRTBEGIN_SO_O) \
 	$(PRIVATE_ALL_OBJECTS) \
 	-Wl,--whole-archive \
-	$(call normalize-target-libraries,$(PRIVATE_ALL_WHOLE_STATIC_LIBRARIES)) \
+	$(PRIVATE_ALL_WHOLE_STATIC_LIBRARIES) \
 	-Wl,--no-whole-archive \
 	$(if $(PRIVATE_GROUP_STATIC_LIBRARIES),-Wl$(comma)--start-group) \
-	$(call normalize-target-libraries,$(PRIVATE_ALL_STATIC_LIBRARIES)) \
+	$(PRIVATE_ALL_STATIC_LIBRARIES) \
 	$(if $(PRIVATE_GROUP_STATIC_LIBRARIES),-Wl$(comma)--end-group) \
 	$(if $(filter true,$(NATIVE_COVERAGE)),$(PRIVATE_TARGET_COVERAGE_LIB)) \
 	$(PRIVATE_TARGET_LIBATOMIC) \
@@ -1922,10 +1902,10 @@ $(hide) $(PRIVATE_CXX) -pie \
 	$(PRIVATE_TARGET_CRTBEGIN_DYNAMIC_O) \
 	$(PRIVATE_ALL_OBJECTS) \
 	-Wl,--whole-archive \
-	$(call normalize-target-libraries,$(PRIVATE_ALL_WHOLE_STATIC_LIBRARIES)) \
+	$(PRIVATE_ALL_WHOLE_STATIC_LIBRARIES) \
 	-Wl,--no-whole-archive \
 	$(if $(PRIVATE_GROUP_STATIC_LIBRARIES),-Wl$(comma)--start-group) \
-	$(call normalize-target-libraries,$(PRIVATE_ALL_STATIC_LIBRARIES)) \
+	$(PRIVATE_ALL_STATIC_LIBRARIES) \
 	$(if $(PRIVATE_GROUP_STATIC_LIBRARIES),-Wl$(comma)--end-group) \
 	$(if $(filter true,$(NATIVE_COVERAGE)),$(PRIVATE_TARGET_COVERAGE_LIB)) \
 	$(PRIVATE_TARGET_LIBATOMIC) \
@@ -1967,15 +1947,15 @@ $(hide) $(PRIVATE_CXX) \
 	$(PRIVATE_LDFLAGS) \
 	$(PRIVATE_ALL_OBJECTS) \
 	-Wl,--whole-archive \
-	$(call normalize-target-libraries,$(PRIVATE_ALL_WHOLE_STATIC_LIBRARIES)) \
+	$(PRIVATE_ALL_WHOLE_STATIC_LIBRARIES) \
 	-Wl,--no-whole-archive \
-	$(call normalize-target-libraries,$(filter-out %libcompiler_rt.a,$(filter-out %libc_nomalloc.a,$(filter-out %libc.a,$(PRIVATE_ALL_STATIC_LIBRARIES))))) \
+	$(filter-out %libcompiler_rt.a,$(filter-out %libc_nomalloc.a,$(filter-out %libc.a,$(PRIVATE_ALL_STATIC_LIBRARIES)))) \
 	-Wl,--start-group \
-	$(call normalize-target-libraries,$(filter %libc.a,$(PRIVATE_ALL_STATIC_LIBRARIES))) \
-	$(call normalize-target-libraries,$(filter %libc_nomalloc.a,$(PRIVATE_ALL_STATIC_LIBRARIES))) \
+	$(filter %libc.a,$(PRIVATE_ALL_STATIC_LIBRARIES)) \
+	$(filter %libc_nomalloc.a,$(PRIVATE_ALL_STATIC_LIBRARIES)) \
 	$(if $(filter true,$(NATIVE_COVERAGE)),$(PRIVATE_TARGET_COVERAGE_LIB)) \
 	$(PRIVATE_TARGET_LIBATOMIC) \
-	$(call normalize-target-libraries,$(filter %libcompiler_rt.a,$(PRIVATE_ALL_STATIC_LIBRARIES))) \
+	$(filter %libcompiler_rt.a,$(PRIVATE_ALL_STATIC_LIBRARIES)) \
 	$(PRIVATE_TARGET_LIBGCC) \
 	-Wl,--end-group \
 	$(PRIVATE_TARGET_CRTEND_O)
@@ -2006,18 +1986,17 @@ define transform-host-o-to-executable-inner
 $(hide) $(PRIVATE_CXX) \
 	$(PRIVATE_ALL_OBJECTS) \
 	-Wl,--whole-archive \
-	$(call normalize-host-libraries,$(PRIVATE_ALL_WHOLE_STATIC_LIBRARIES)) \
+	$(PRIVATE_ALL_WHOLE_STATIC_LIBRARIES) \
 	-Wl,--no-whole-archive \
 	$(if $(PRIVATE_GROUP_STATIC_LIBRARIES),-Wl$(comma)--start-group) \
-	$(call normalize-host-libraries,$(PRIVATE_ALL_STATIC_LIBRARIES)) \
+	$(PRIVATE_ALL_STATIC_LIBRARIES) \
 	$(if $(PRIVATE_GROUP_STATIC_LIBRARIES),-Wl$(comma)--end-group) \
 	$(if $(filter true,$(NATIVE_COVERAGE)),-lgcov) \
 	$(if $(filter true,$(NATIVE_COVERAGE)),$(PRIVATE_HOST_LIBPROFILE_RT)) \
-	$(call normalize-host-libraries,$(PRIVATE_ALL_SHARED_LIBRARIES)) \
+	$(PRIVATE_ALL_SHARED_LIBRARIES) \
 	-Wl,-rpath-link=$($(PRIVATE_2ND_ARCH_VAR_PREFIX)$(PRIVATE_PREFIX)OUT_INTERMEDIATE_LIBRARIES) \
 	$(foreach path,$(PRIVATE_RPATHS), \
 	  -Wl,-rpath,\$$ORIGIN/$(path)) \
-	$($(PRIVATE_2ND_ARCH_VAR_PREFIX)$(PRIVATE_PREFIX)GLOBAL_LD_DIRS) \
 	$(if $(PRIVATE_NO_DEFAULT_COMPILER_FLAGS),, \
 		$(PRIVATE_HOST_GLOBAL_LDFLAGS) \
 	) \
diff --git a/core/executable_internal.mk b/core/executable_internal.mk
index 2b8a47c18..593f9f445 100644
--- a/core/executable_internal.mk
+++ b/core/executable_internal.mk
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ endif
 endif
 
 # Define PRIVATE_ variables from global vars
-my_target_global_ld_dirs := $($(LOCAL_2ND_ARCH_VAR_PREFIX)TARGET_GLOBAL_LD_DIRS)
+my_target_global_ld_dirs :=
 ifeq ($(LOCAL_NO_LIBGCC),true)
 my_target_libgcc :=
 else
diff --git a/core/shared_library_internal.mk b/core/shared_library_internal.mk
index 35899f92f..a3d95a848 100644
--- a/core/shared_library_internal.mk
+++ b/core/shared_library_internal.mk
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ OVERRIDE_BUILT_MODULE_PATH := $($(LOCAL_2ND_ARCH_VAR_PREFIX)TARGET_OUT_INTERMEDI
 include $(BUILD_SYSTEM)/dynamic_binary.mk
 
 # Define PRIVATE_ variables from global vars
-my_target_global_ld_dirs := $($(LOCAL_2ND_ARCH_VAR_PREFIX)TARGET_GLOBAL_LD_DIRS)
+my_target_global_ld_dirs :=
 ifeq ($(LOCAL_NO_LIBGCC),true)
 my_target_libgcc :=
 else