diff --git a/doc/nimc.rst b/doc/nimc.rst
index bd5e897c3..379d8b559 100644
--- a/doc/nimc.rst
+++ b/doc/nimc.rst
@@ -454,6 +454,9 @@ Define                   Effect
                          path for the ``sh`` binary, in cases where it is not
                          located in the default location ``/bin/sh``.
 ``noSignalHandler``      Disable the crash handler from ``system.nim``.
+``globalSymbols``        Load all ``{.dynlib.}`` libraries with the ``RTLD_GLOBAL``
+                         flag on Posix systems to resolve symbols in subsequently
+                         loaded libraries.
 ======================   =========================================================
 
 
diff --git a/lib/system/dyncalls.nim b/lib/system/dyncalls.nim
index fe4797c5f..a15d9267f 100644
--- a/lib/system/dyncalls.nim
+++ b/lib/system/dyncalls.nim
@@ -91,7 +91,10 @@ when defined(posix):
     dlclose(lib)
 
   proc nimLoadLibrary(path: string): LibHandle =
-    result = dlopen(path, RTLD_NOW)
+    let flags =
+      when defined(globalSymbols): RTLD_NOW or RTLD_GLOBAL
+      else: RTLD_NOW
+    result = dlopen(path, flags)
     when defined(nimDebugDlOpen):
       let error = dlerror()
       if error != nil: