diff --git a/config/CONFIG.Host.solaris b/config/CONFIG.Host.solaris
index 2cef314b0..f9c2cd6d6 100644
--- a/config/CONFIG.Host.solaris
+++ b/config/CONFIG.Host.solaris
@@ -26,7 +26,8 @@ ACC = $(SPARCWORKS)/bin/cc
 ACC_ANSI = $(ACC) -Xa
 ACC_STRICT = $(ACC) -Xc -v
 ACC_TRAD = $(ACC) -Xs
-ACC_DEP_CFLAGS = -KPIC -D_REENTRANT 
+ACC_DEP_CFLAGS = -KPIC -D_REENTRANT
+
 ACC_WARN_YES = 
 ACC_WARN_NO =  -w
 ACC_OPT_YES =  -O
@@ -42,7 +43,7 @@ ACC_SHRLIB_LDFLAGS_YES =  -G -h $@
 CCC = $(SPARCWORKS)/bin/CC
 CCC_NORMAL = $(CCC) +p
 CCC_STRICT = $(CCC) +p
-CCC_DEP_CFLAGS = -KPIC -D_REENTRANT 
+CCC_DEP_CFLAGS = -KPIC -D_REENTRANT
 CCC_TEMPL_INST_FLAG =
 CCC_WARN_YES = +w
 CCC_WARN_NO = 
@@ -56,10 +57,10 @@ CCC_DEPENDS_FLAG = -xM1
 CCC_SHRLIB_CFLAGS_YES =
 CCC_SHRLIB_LDFLAGS_YES =  -G -h $@
  
+SOLARIS_VERSION = $(subst 5.,,$(shell uname -r))
+ARCH_DEP_CPPFLAGS += -DSOLARIS=$(SOLARIS_VERSION) 
+POSIX_CPPFLAGS_YES += -D__EXTENSIONS__
 
-ARCH_DEP_CFLAGS = -DSOLARIS=$(subst 5.,,$(shell uname -r)) 
-# Ignore LD_LIBRARY_PATH and LD_LIBRARY_PATH_64 
-ARCH_DEP_LDFLAGS = -i
 # socket and nsl needed by libca.a
 ARCH_DEP_LDLIBS = -lsocket -lnsl
 
diff --git a/config/CONFIG.Host.solaris-x86 b/config/CONFIG.Host.solaris-x86
index ec073eb53..02ac4d591 100644
--- a/config/CONFIG.Host.solaris-x86
+++ b/config/CONFIG.Host.solaris-x86
@@ -3,66 +3,11 @@
 #  This file is maintained by the EPICS community.
 #  Sites may override these definitions in CONFIG_SITE.Host.solaris-x86
 
-ARCH_CLASS = solaris
+-include $(EPICS_BASE)/config/CONFIG.Host.solaris
 
-# Include definitions common to all Unix archs
-include $(EPICS_BASE)/config/CONFIG.Host.UnixCommon
+# Solaris on x86
+ARCH_DEP_CPPFLAGS += -D_X86_
 
-#
-# required by sun's C++ compiler
-#
-AR = ar
-_AR = $(AR) $(ARFLAGS)
-G++_AR = $(_AR)
-CCC_AR = $(CCC) -xar -o
-ARCMD = $($(CPLUSPLUS)_AR) $@
-
-RANLIB =
-
-SPARCWORKS = /opt/SUNWspro
-
-# Configure OS vendor C compiler
-ACC = $(SPARCWORKS)/bin/cc
-ACC_ANSI = $(ACC) -Xa
-ACC_STRICT = $(ACC) -Xc -v
-ACC_TRAD = $(ACC) -Xs
-ACC_DEP_CFLAGS = -KPIC -D_REENTRANT 
-ACC_WARN_YES = 
-ACC_WARN_NO =  -w
-ACC_OPT_YES =  -O
-ACC_OPT_NO = -g
-ACC_SFLAGS_YES= -Bstatic
-ACC_SFLAGS_NO=
-ACC_SLIBS_YES= -lw -lintl -Bdynamic -ldl -Bstatic
-ACC_SLIBS_NO=
-ACC_SHRLIB_CFLAGS_YES =
-ACC_SHRLIB_LDFLAGS_YES =  -G -h $@
-
-# Configure OS vendor C++ compiler
-CCC = $(SPARCWORKS)/bin/CC
-CCC_NORMAL = $(CCC) +p
-CCC_STRICT = $(CCC) +p
-CCC_DEP_CFLAGS = -KPIC -D_REENTRANT 
-CCC_TEMPL_INST_FLAG =
-CCC_WARN_YES = +w
-CCC_WARN_NO = 
-CCC_OPT_YES =  -O
-CCC_OPT_NO = -g
-CCC_SFLAGS_YES= -Bstatic
-CCC_SFLAGS_NO=
-CCC_SLIBS_YES= -lw -lintl -Bdynamic -ldl -Bstatic
-CCC_SLIBS_NO=
-CCC_DEPENDS_FLAG = -xM1
-CCC_SHRLIB_CFLAGS_YES =
-CCC_SHRLIB_LDFLAGS_YES =  -G -h $@
- 
 GCC = gcc
 G++ = g++
 
-# Solaris on x86
-ARCH_DEP_CFLAGS = -DSOLARIS=$(subst 5.,,$(shell uname -r))  -D_X86_
-# Ignore LD_LIBRARY_PATH and LD_LIBRARY_PATH_64 
-ARCH_DEP_LDFLAGS = -i
-# socket and nsl needed by libca.a
-ARCH_DEP_LDLIBS = -lsocket -lnsl
-
diff --git a/config/CONFIG.Host.solarisGnu b/config/CONFIG.Host.solarisGnu
index 0e5899bc6..d417ed58d 100644
--- a/config/CONFIG.Host.solarisGnu
+++ b/config/CONFIG.Host.solarisGnu
@@ -21,7 +21,9 @@ ANSI=GCC
 CPLUSPLUS=G++
 #==========================
 
-ARCH_DEP_CFLAGS = -DSOLARIS 
-# socket and nsl needed by libca.a
-ARCH_DEP_LDLIBS = -lsocket -lnsl
+SOLARIS_VERSION = $(subst 5.,,$(shell uname -r))
+ARCH_DEP_CPPFLAGS += -DSOLARIS=$(SOLARIS_VERSION) 
+
+# socket and nsl needed by libca.a
+ARCH_DEP_LDLIBS += -lsocket -lnsl