diff --git a/configure/os/CONFIG_SITE.Common.linuxCommon b/configure/os/CONFIG_SITE.Common.linuxCommon
index 80818f04e..20c5a5420 100644
--- a/configure/os/CONFIG_SITE.Common.linuxCommon
+++ b/configure/os/CONFIG_SITE.Common.linuxCommon
@@ -21,3 +21,9 @@ TARGET_LDFLAGS  += $(SYSROOT:%=--sysroot=%)
 ifeq ($(filter SL% RHEL%,$(T_A)),)
 VALID_BUILDS = Ioc Command
 endif
+
+# backward compatibility: Keep unversioned libs for older linux versions
+ifneq ($(filter SL% RHEL7% RHEL8%,$(T_A)),)
+SHRLIB_SUFFIX = $(SHRLIB_SUFFIX_BASE)
+LOADABLE_SHRLIB_SUFFIX = $(SHRLIB_SUFFIX_BASE)
+endif