diff --git a/configure/Makefile b/configure/Makefile
index ba77d5089..3c2c0b53a 100644
--- a/configure/Makefile
+++ b/configure/Makefile
@@ -34,5 +34,9 @@ CFG += TOOLCHAIN.$(EPICS_HOST_ARCH).$(T_A)
 
 include $(TOP)/configure/RULES
 
+ifeq ($(GNU),YES)
+  # Pass compiler flags to preprocessor to enable _FORTIFY_SOURCE
+  TOOLCHAIN.$(EPICS_HOST_ARCH).$(T_A): CPPFLAGS += $(CFLAGS)
+endif
 TOOLCHAIN.$(EPICS_HOST_ARCH).$(T_A): toolchain.c
 	$(PREPROCESS.cpp)
diff --git a/configure/toolchain.c b/configure/toolchain.c
index da4e8bb2c..79333198c 100644
--- a/configure/toolchain.c
+++ b/configure/toolchain.c
@@ -47,3 +47,8 @@ COMMANDLINE_LIBRARY ?= EPICS
 #else
 COMMANDLINE_LIBRARY ?= $(strip $(if $(wildcard $(if $(GNU_DIR),$(GNU_DIR)/include/readline/readline.h)), READLINE, EPICS))
 #endif
+
+#if defined(_FORTIFY_SOURCE) && _FORTIFY_SOURCE>2
+OP_SYS_CPPFLAGS += -U_FORTIFY_SOURCE -D_FORTIFY_SOURCE=2
+#endif
+