diff --git a/headless/wscript b/headless/wscript
index d0f9b99ecd..a80774602d 100644
--- a/headless/wscript
+++ b/headless/wscript
@@ -35,6 +35,8 @@ def build(bld):
     
     # just the normal executable version of the GTK GUI
     obj = bld (features = 'cxx c cxxprogram')
+    # this program does not do the whole hidden symbols thing
+    obj.cxxflags = [ '-fvisibility=default' ]
     obj.source    = hardour_sources
     obj.target = 'hardour-' + bld.env['VERSION']
     obj.includes = ['.']