diff --git a/tools/tools/zfsboottest/Makefile b/tools/tools/zfsboottest/Makefile
index a04c78fa25e1..a194a8384a2c 100644
--- a/tools/tools/zfsboottest/Makefile
+++ b/tools/tools/zfsboottest/Makefile
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ CFLAGS=	-O1 \
 	-I. \
 	-fdiagnostics-show-option \
 	-W -Wextra -Wno-sign-compare -Wno-unused-parameter
-LDFLAGS+=-lmd
+LDADD+=	-lmd
 
 .if ${MACHINE_CPUARCH} == "amd64"
 beforedepend zfsboottest.o: machine