diff --git a/apps/codecs/codecs.make b/apps/codecs/codecs.make
index 30fea9969e..be1a0e0f00 100644
--- a/apps/codecs/codecs.make
+++ b/apps/codecs/codecs.make
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ $(CODECDIR)/%.o: $(ROOTDIR)/apps/codecs/%.c
 $(CODECDIR)/%.o: $(ROOTDIR)/apps/codecs/%.S
 	$(SILENT)mkdir -p $(dir $@)
 	$(call PRINTS,CC $(subst $(ROOTDIR)/,,$<))$(CC) \
-		-I$(dir $<) $(CODECFLAGS) -c $< -o $@
+		-I$(dir $<) $(CODECFLAGS) $(ASMFLAGS) -c $< -o $@
 
 ifdef APP_TYPE
  CODECLDFLAGS = $(SHARED_FLAG) # <-- from Makefile
diff --git a/apps/codecs/demac/libdemac/predictor-cf.S b/apps/codecs/demac/libdemac/predictor-cf.S
index 1617f9aa9c..fc1d901a59 100644
--- a/apps/codecs/demac/libdemac/predictor-cf.S
+++ b/apps/codecs/demac/libdemac/predictor-cf.S
@@ -24,11 +24,6 @@ Foundation, Inc., 51 Franklin St, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110, USA
 
 */
 
-/* workaround gcc 3.4.6 -std=gnu99 */
-#ifndef __ASSEMBLER__
-#define __ASSEMBLER__
-#endif
-
 #include "demac_config.h"
 
 /* NOTE: The following need to be kept in sync with parser.h */
diff --git a/apps/codecs/libmad/libmad.make b/apps/codecs/libmad/libmad.make
index 58d2dc84e6..f8423b88fe 100644
--- a/apps/codecs/libmad/libmad.make
+++ b/apps/codecs/libmad/libmad.make
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ $(CODECDIR)/libmad-mpeg/%.o : $(ROOTDIR)/apps/codecs/libmad/%.c
 $(CODECDIR)/libmad-mpeg/%.o : $(ROOTDIR)/apps/codecs/libmad/%.S
 	$(SILENT)mkdir -p $(dir $@)
 	$(call PRINTS,CC $(subst $(ROOTDIR)/,,$<)) \
-		$(CC) $(MPEGMADFLAGS) -c $< -o $@
+		$(CC) $(MPEGMADFLAGS) $(ASMFLAGS) -c $< -o $@
 
 $(CODECDIR)/libmad/%.o: $(ROOTDIR)/apps/codecs/libmad/%.c
 	$(SILENT)mkdir -p $(dir $@)
@@ -63,4 +63,4 @@ $(CODECDIR)/libmad/%.o: $(ROOTDIR)/apps/codecs/libmad/%.c
 $(CODECDIR)/libmad/%.o: $(ROOTDIR)/apps/codecs/libmad/%.S
 	$(SILENT)mkdir -p $(dir $@)
 	$(call PRINTS,CC $(subst $(ROOTDIR)/,,$<)) \
-		$(CC) $(MADFLAGS) -c $< -o $@
+		$(CC) $(MADFLAGS) $(ASMFLAGS) -c $< -o $@
diff --git a/apps/codecs/libspeex/libspeex.make b/apps/codecs/libspeex/libspeex.make
index e25ea646c5..ee93e7113d 100644
--- a/apps/codecs/libspeex/libspeex.make
+++ b/apps/codecs/libspeex/libspeex.make
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ $(CODECDIR)/libspeex-voice/%.o : $(ROOTDIR)/apps/codecs/libspeex/%.c
 
 $(CODECDIR)/libspeex-voice/%.o : $(ROOTDIR)/apps/codecs/libspeex/%.S
 	$(SILENT)mkdir -p $(dir $@)
-	$(call PRINTS,CC $(subst $(ROOTDIR)/,,$<))$(CC) $(VOICESPEEXFLAGS) -c $< -o $@
+	$(call PRINTS,CC $(subst $(ROOTDIR)/,,$<))$(CC) $(VOICESPEEXFLAGS) $(ASMFLAGS) -c $< -o $@
 
 $(CODECDIR)/libspeex/%.o: $(ROOTDIR)/apps/codecs/libspeex/%.c
 	$(SILENT)mkdir -p $(dir $@)
@@ -60,4 +60,4 @@ $(CODECDIR)/libspeex/%.o: $(ROOTDIR)/apps/codecs/libspeex/%.c
 
 $(CODECDIR)/libspeex/%.o: $(ROOTDIR)/apps/codecs/libspeex/%.S
 	$(SILENT)mkdir -p $(dir $@)
-	$(call PRINTS,CC $(subst $(ROOTDIR)/,,$<))$(CC) $(SPEEXFLAGS) -c $< -o $@
+	$(call PRINTS,CC $(subst $(ROOTDIR)/,,$<))$(CC) $(SPEEXFLAGS) $(ASMFLAGS) -c $< -o $@
diff --git a/apps/codecs/libtta/libtta.make b/apps/codecs/libtta/libtta.make
index b18d013cbf..d458ab78bc 100644
--- a/apps/codecs/libtta/libtta.make
+++ b/apps/codecs/libtta/libtta.make
@@ -31,4 +31,4 @@ $(CODECDIR)/libtta/%.o: $(ROOTDIR)/apps/codecs/libtta/%.c
 
 $(CODECDIR)/libtta/%.o: $(ROOTDIR)/apps/codecs/libtta/%.S
 	$(SILENT)mkdir -p $(dir $@)
-	$(call PRINTS,CC $(subst $(ROOTDIR)/,,$<))$(CC) $(TTAFLAGS) -c $< -o $@
+	$(call PRINTS,CC $(subst $(ROOTDIR)/,,$<))$(CC) $(TTAFLAGS) $(ASMFLAGS) -c $< -o $@
diff --git a/firmware/test/kernel/Makefile b/firmware/test/kernel/Makefile
index be82abfcb9..94171767c6 100644
--- a/firmware/test/kernel/Makefile
+++ b/firmware/test/kernel/Makefile
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ OBJS= 	../../crt0.o ../../system.o main.o ../../panic.o ../../drivers/lcd.o \
 	../../debug.o ../../common/sprintf.o
 
 %.o: %.S
-	$(CC) -o $@ $(CFLAGS) $(INCLUDES) $(DEFS) -c $<
+	$(CC) -o $@ $(CFLAGS) $(INCLUDES) $(DEFS) $(ASMFLAGS) -c $<
 
 
 all : archos.mod
diff --git a/tools/make.inc b/tools/make.inc
index 5521612f62..d03898b2e1 100644
--- a/tools/make.inc
+++ b/tools/make.inc
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ $(OBJDIR)/%.o: %.c
 
 $(OBJDIR)/%.o: %.S
 	$(SILENT)mkdir -p $(dir $@)
-	$(call PRINTS,CC $<)$(CC) $(CFLAGS) -c $< -o $@
+	$(call PRINTS,CC $<)$(CC) $(CFLAGS) $(ASMFLAGS) -c $< -o $@
 
 # The echo stuff last in the dep update shell magic is to prevent any compiler
 # errors/warnings to cause an error code to get returned and thus stop the
diff --git a/tools/root.make b/tools/root.make
index 401599aeb5..885a80d2c6 100644
--- a/tools/root.make
+++ b/tools/root.make
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ INCLUDES = -I$(BUILDDIR) -I$(BUILDDIR)/lang $(TARGET_INC)
 
 CFLAGS = $(INCLUDES) $(DEFINES) $(GCCOPTS) 
 PPCFLAGS = $(filter-out -g -Dmain=SDL_main,$(CFLAGS)) # cygwin sdl-config fix
+ASMFLAGS = -D__ASSEMBLER__      # work around gcc 3.4.x bug with -std=gnu99, only meant for .S files
 
 TOOLS = $(TOOLSDIR)/rdf2binary $(TOOLSDIR)/convbdf \
 	$(TOOLSDIR)/codepages $(TOOLSDIR)/scramble $(TOOLSDIR)/bmp2rb \
@@ -343,7 +344,7 @@ $(BUILDDIR)/%.o: $(ROOTDIR)/%.c
 
 $(BUILDDIR)/%.o: $(ROOTDIR)/%.S
 	$(SILENT)mkdir -p $(dir $@)
-	$(call PRINTS,CC $(subst $(ROOTDIR)/,,$<))$(CC) $(CFLAGS) -c $< -o $@
+	$(call PRINTS,CC $(subst $(ROOTDIR)/,,$<))$(CC) $(CFLAGS) $(ASMFLAGS) -c $< -o $@
 
 # generated definitions for use in .S files
 $(BUILDDIR)/%_asmdefs.h: $(ROOTDIR)/%_asmdefs.c
@@ -358,7 +359,7 @@ $(BUILDDIR)/%_asmdefs.h: $(ROOTDIR)/%_asmdefs.c
 
 %.o: %.S
 	$(SILENT)mkdir -p $(dir $@)
-	$(call PRINTS,CC $(subst $(ROOTDIR)/,,$<))$(CC) $(CFLAGS) -c $< -o $@
+	$(call PRINTS,CC $(subst $(ROOTDIR)/,,$<))$(CC) $(CFLAGS) $(ASMFLAGS) -c $< -o $@
 
 Makefile: $(TOOLSDIR)/configure
 ifneq (reconf,$(MAKECMDGOALS))