diff --git a/configure b/configure
index cb3c3ae608..7a6bfc2339 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -658,6 +658,8 @@ PTHREAD_CFLAGS
 PTHREAD_LIBS
 PTHREAD_CC
 ax_pthread_config
+EGREP
+GREP
 SED
 ZIC
 python_additional_libs
@@ -697,9 +699,6 @@ with_gnu_ld
 LD
 LDFLAGS_SL
 LDFLAGS_EX
-ELF_SYS
-EGREP
-GREP
 with_zlib
 with_system_tzdata
 with_libxslt
@@ -8306,169 +8305,6 @@ fi
 
 
 
-#
-# Elf
-#
-
-# Assume system is ELF if it predefines __ELF__ as 1,
-# otherwise believe host_os based default.
-case $host_os in
-    freebsd1*|freebsd2*) elf=no;;
-    freebsd3*|freebsd4*) elf=yes;;
-esac
-
-
-{ $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: checking for grep that handles long lines and -e" >&5
-$as_echo_n "checking for grep that handles long lines and -e... " >&6; }
-if ${ac_cv_path_GREP+:} false; then :
-  $as_echo_n "(cached) " >&6
-else
-  if test -z "$GREP"; then
-  ac_path_GREP_found=false
-  # Loop through the user's path and test for each of PROGNAME-LIST
-  as_save_IFS=$IFS; IFS=$PATH_SEPARATOR
-for as_dir in $PATH$PATH_SEPARATOR/usr/xpg4/bin
-do
-  IFS=$as_save_IFS
-  test -z "$as_dir" && as_dir=.
-    for ac_prog in grep ggrep; do
-    for ac_exec_ext in '' $ac_executable_extensions; do
-      ac_path_GREP="$as_dir/$ac_prog$ac_exec_ext"
-      as_fn_executable_p "$ac_path_GREP" || continue
-# Check for GNU ac_path_GREP and select it if it is found.
-  # Check for GNU $ac_path_GREP
-case `"$ac_path_GREP" --version 2>&1` in
-*GNU*)
-  ac_cv_path_GREP="$ac_path_GREP" ac_path_GREP_found=:;;
-*)
-  ac_count=0
-  $as_echo_n 0123456789 >"conftest.in"
-  while :
-  do
-    cat "conftest.in" "conftest.in" >"conftest.tmp"
-    mv "conftest.tmp" "conftest.in"
-    cp "conftest.in" "conftest.nl"
-    $as_echo 'GREP' >> "conftest.nl"
-    "$ac_path_GREP" -e 'GREP$' -e '-(cannot match)-' < "conftest.nl" >"conftest.out" 2>/dev/null || break
-    diff "conftest.out" "conftest.nl" >/dev/null 2>&1 || break
-    as_fn_arith $ac_count + 1 && ac_count=$as_val
-    if test $ac_count -gt ${ac_path_GREP_max-0}; then
-      # Best one so far, save it but keep looking for a better one
-      ac_cv_path_GREP="$ac_path_GREP"
-      ac_path_GREP_max=$ac_count
-    fi
-    # 10*(2^10) chars as input seems more than enough
-    test $ac_count -gt 10 && break
-  done
-  rm -f conftest.in conftest.tmp conftest.nl conftest.out;;
-esac
-
-      $ac_path_GREP_found && break 3
-    done
-  done
-  done
-IFS=$as_save_IFS
-  if test -z "$ac_cv_path_GREP"; then
-    as_fn_error $? "no acceptable grep could be found in $PATH$PATH_SEPARATOR/usr/xpg4/bin" "$LINENO" 5
-  fi
-else
-  ac_cv_path_GREP=$GREP
-fi
-
-fi
-{ $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: result: $ac_cv_path_GREP" >&5
-$as_echo "$ac_cv_path_GREP" >&6; }
- GREP="$ac_cv_path_GREP"
-
-
-{ $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: checking for egrep" >&5
-$as_echo_n "checking for egrep... " >&6; }
-if ${ac_cv_path_EGREP+:} false; then :
-  $as_echo_n "(cached) " >&6
-else
-  if echo a | $GREP -E '(a|b)' >/dev/null 2>&1
-   then ac_cv_path_EGREP="$GREP -E"
-   else
-     if test -z "$EGREP"; then
-  ac_path_EGREP_found=false
-  # Loop through the user's path and test for each of PROGNAME-LIST
-  as_save_IFS=$IFS; IFS=$PATH_SEPARATOR
-for as_dir in $PATH$PATH_SEPARATOR/usr/xpg4/bin
-do
-  IFS=$as_save_IFS
-  test -z "$as_dir" && as_dir=.
-    for ac_prog in egrep; do
-    for ac_exec_ext in '' $ac_executable_extensions; do
-      ac_path_EGREP="$as_dir/$ac_prog$ac_exec_ext"
-      as_fn_executable_p "$ac_path_EGREP" || continue
-# Check for GNU ac_path_EGREP and select it if it is found.
-  # Check for GNU $ac_path_EGREP
-case `"$ac_path_EGREP" --version 2>&1` in
-*GNU*)
-  ac_cv_path_EGREP="$ac_path_EGREP" ac_path_EGREP_found=:;;
-*)
-  ac_count=0
-  $as_echo_n 0123456789 >"conftest.in"
-  while :
-  do
-    cat "conftest.in" "conftest.in" >"conftest.tmp"
-    mv "conftest.tmp" "conftest.in"
-    cp "conftest.in" "conftest.nl"
-    $as_echo 'EGREP' >> "conftest.nl"
-    "$ac_path_EGREP" 'EGREP$' < "conftest.nl" >"conftest.out" 2>/dev/null || break
-    diff "conftest.out" "conftest.nl" >/dev/null 2>&1 || break
-    as_fn_arith $ac_count + 1 && ac_count=$as_val
-    if test $ac_count -gt ${ac_path_EGREP_max-0}; then
-      # Best one so far, save it but keep looking for a better one
-      ac_cv_path_EGREP="$ac_path_EGREP"
-      ac_path_EGREP_max=$ac_count
-    fi
-    # 10*(2^10) chars as input seems more than enough
-    test $ac_count -gt 10 && break
-  done
-  rm -f conftest.in conftest.tmp conftest.nl conftest.out;;
-esac
-
-      $ac_path_EGREP_found && break 3
-    done
-  done
-  done
-IFS=$as_save_IFS
-  if test -z "$ac_cv_path_EGREP"; then
-    as_fn_error $? "no acceptable egrep could be found in $PATH$PATH_SEPARATOR/usr/xpg4/bin" "$LINENO" 5
-  fi
-else
-  ac_cv_path_EGREP=$EGREP
-fi
-
-   fi
-fi
-{ $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: result: $ac_cv_path_EGREP" >&5
-$as_echo "$ac_cv_path_EGREP" >&6; }
- EGREP="$ac_cv_path_EGREP"
-
-
-cat confdefs.h - <<_ACEOF >conftest.$ac_ext
-/* end confdefs.h.  */
-#if __ELF__
-  yes
-#endif
-
-_ACEOF
-if (eval "$ac_cpp conftest.$ac_ext") 2>&5 |
-  $EGREP "yes" >/dev/null 2>&1; then :
-  ELF_SYS=true
-else
-  if test "X$elf" = "Xyes" ; then
-  ELF_SYS=true
-else
-  ELF_SYS=
-fi
-fi
-rm -f conftest*
-
-
-
 #
 # Assignments
 #
@@ -10055,6 +9891,137 @@ $as_echo "$ac_cv_path_SED" >&6; }
  SED="$ac_cv_path_SED"
   rm -f conftest.sed
 
+
+{ $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: checking for grep that handles long lines and -e" >&5
+$as_echo_n "checking for grep that handles long lines and -e... " >&6; }
+if ${ac_cv_path_GREP+:} false; then :
+  $as_echo_n "(cached) " >&6
+else
+  if test -z "$GREP"; then
+  ac_path_GREP_found=false
+  # Loop through the user's path and test for each of PROGNAME-LIST
+  as_save_IFS=$IFS; IFS=$PATH_SEPARATOR
+for as_dir in $PATH$PATH_SEPARATOR/usr/xpg4/bin
+do
+  IFS=$as_save_IFS
+  test -z "$as_dir" && as_dir=.
+    for ac_prog in grep ggrep; do
+    for ac_exec_ext in '' $ac_executable_extensions; do
+      ac_path_GREP="$as_dir/$ac_prog$ac_exec_ext"
+      as_fn_executable_p "$ac_path_GREP" || continue
+# Check for GNU ac_path_GREP and select it if it is found.
+  # Check for GNU $ac_path_GREP
+case `"$ac_path_GREP" --version 2>&1` in
+*GNU*)
+  ac_cv_path_GREP="$ac_path_GREP" ac_path_GREP_found=:;;
+*)
+  ac_count=0
+  $as_echo_n 0123456789 >"conftest.in"
+  while :
+  do
+    cat "conftest.in" "conftest.in" >"conftest.tmp"
+    mv "conftest.tmp" "conftest.in"
+    cp "conftest.in" "conftest.nl"
+    $as_echo 'GREP' >> "conftest.nl"
+    "$ac_path_GREP" -e 'GREP$' -e '-(cannot match)-' < "conftest.nl" >"conftest.out" 2>/dev/null || break
+    diff "conftest.out" "conftest.nl" >/dev/null 2>&1 || break
+    as_fn_arith $ac_count + 1 && ac_count=$as_val
+    if test $ac_count -gt ${ac_path_GREP_max-0}; then
+      # Best one so far, save it but keep looking for a better one
+      ac_cv_path_GREP="$ac_path_GREP"
+      ac_path_GREP_max=$ac_count
+    fi
+    # 10*(2^10) chars as input seems more than enough
+    test $ac_count -gt 10 && break
+  done
+  rm -f conftest.in conftest.tmp conftest.nl conftest.out;;
+esac
+
+      $ac_path_GREP_found && break 3
+    done
+  done
+  done
+IFS=$as_save_IFS
+  if test -z "$ac_cv_path_GREP"; then
+    as_fn_error $? "no acceptable grep could be found in $PATH$PATH_SEPARATOR/usr/xpg4/bin" "$LINENO" 5
+  fi
+else
+  ac_cv_path_GREP=$GREP
+fi
+
+fi
+{ $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: result: $ac_cv_path_GREP" >&5
+$as_echo "$ac_cv_path_GREP" >&6; }
+ GREP="$ac_cv_path_GREP"
+
+
+{ $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: checking for egrep" >&5
+$as_echo_n "checking for egrep... " >&6; }
+if ${ac_cv_path_EGREP+:} false; then :
+  $as_echo_n "(cached) " >&6
+else
+  if echo a | $GREP -E '(a|b)' >/dev/null 2>&1
+   then ac_cv_path_EGREP="$GREP -E"
+   else
+     if test -z "$EGREP"; then
+  ac_path_EGREP_found=false
+  # Loop through the user's path and test for each of PROGNAME-LIST
+  as_save_IFS=$IFS; IFS=$PATH_SEPARATOR
+for as_dir in $PATH$PATH_SEPARATOR/usr/xpg4/bin
+do
+  IFS=$as_save_IFS
+  test -z "$as_dir" && as_dir=.
+    for ac_prog in egrep; do
+    for ac_exec_ext in '' $ac_executable_extensions; do
+      ac_path_EGREP="$as_dir/$ac_prog$ac_exec_ext"
+      as_fn_executable_p "$ac_path_EGREP" || continue
+# Check for GNU ac_path_EGREP and select it if it is found.
+  # Check for GNU $ac_path_EGREP
+case `"$ac_path_EGREP" --version 2>&1` in
+*GNU*)
+  ac_cv_path_EGREP="$ac_path_EGREP" ac_path_EGREP_found=:;;
+*)
+  ac_count=0
+  $as_echo_n 0123456789 >"conftest.in"
+  while :
+  do
+    cat "conftest.in" "conftest.in" >"conftest.tmp"
+    mv "conftest.tmp" "conftest.in"
+    cp "conftest.in" "conftest.nl"
+    $as_echo 'EGREP' >> "conftest.nl"
+    "$ac_path_EGREP" 'EGREP$' < "conftest.nl" >"conftest.out" 2>/dev/null || break
+    diff "conftest.out" "conftest.nl" >/dev/null 2>&1 || break
+    as_fn_arith $ac_count + 1 && ac_count=$as_val
+    if test $ac_count -gt ${ac_path_EGREP_max-0}; then
+      # Best one so far, save it but keep looking for a better one
+      ac_cv_path_EGREP="$ac_path_EGREP"
+      ac_path_EGREP_max=$ac_count
+    fi
+    # 10*(2^10) chars as input seems more than enough
+    test $ac_count -gt 10 && break
+  done
+  rm -f conftest.in conftest.tmp conftest.nl conftest.out;;
+esac
+
+      $ac_path_EGREP_found && break 3
+    done
+  done
+  done
+IFS=$as_save_IFS
+  if test -z "$ac_cv_path_EGREP"; then
+    as_fn_error $? "no acceptable egrep could be found in $PATH$PATH_SEPARATOR/usr/xpg4/bin" "$LINENO" 5
+  fi
+else
+  ac_cv_path_EGREP=$EGREP
+fi
+
+   fi
+fi
+{ $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: result: $ac_cv_path_EGREP" >&5
+$as_echo "$ac_cv_path_EGREP" >&6; }
+ EGREP="$ac_cv_path_EGREP"
+
+
 { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: checking for ANSI C header files" >&5
 $as_echo_n "checking for ANSI C header files... " >&6; }
 if ${ac_cv_header_stdc+:} false; then :
diff --git a/configure.in b/configure.in
index ff8e6c9b78..dde3eec89f 100644
--- a/configure.in
+++ b/configure.in
@@ -964,30 +964,6 @@ PGAC_ARG_BOOL(with, zlib, yes,
               [do not use Zlib])
 AC_SUBST(with_zlib)
 
-#
-# Elf
-#
-
-# Assume system is ELF if it predefines __ELF__ as 1,
-# otherwise believe host_os based default.
-case $host_os in
-    freebsd1*|freebsd2*) elf=no;;
-    freebsd3*|freebsd4*) elf=yes;;
-esac
-
-AC_EGREP_CPP(yes,
-[#if __ELF__
-  yes
-#endif
-],
-[ELF_SYS=true],
-[if test "X$elf" = "Xyes" ; then
-  ELF_SYS=true
-else
-  ELF_SYS=
-fi])
-AC_SUBST(ELF_SYS)
-
 #
 # Assignments
 #
diff --git a/src/Makefile.global.in b/src/Makefile.global.in
index b9d86acaa9..321af38b0c 100644
--- a/src/Makefile.global.in
+++ b/src/Makefile.global.in
@@ -506,10 +506,6 @@ host_tuple = @host@
 host_os = @host_os@
 host_cpu = @host_cpu@
 
-# This is mainly for use on FreeBSD, where we have both a.out and elf
-# systems now.  May be applicable to other systems to?
-ELF_SYSTEM= @ELF_SYS@
-
 # Backend stack size limit has to be hard-wired on Windows (it's in bytes)
 WIN32_STACK_RLIMIT=4194304
 
diff --git a/src/Makefile.shlib b/src/Makefile.shlib
index 373d73caef..c4893edfc3 100644
--- a/src/Makefile.shlib
+++ b/src/Makefile.shlib
@@ -139,57 +139,42 @@ ifeq ($(PORTNAME), darwin)
 endif
 
 ifeq ($(PORTNAME), openbsd)
-  ifdef ELF_SYSTEM
-    LINK.shared		= $(COMPILER) -shared
-    ifdef soname
-      LINK.shared	+= -Wl,-x,-soname,$(soname)
-    endif
-    BUILD.exports	= ( echo '{ global:'; $(AWK) '/^[^\#]/ {printf "%s;\n",$$1}' $<; echo ' local: *; };' ) >$@
-    exports_file	= $(SHLIB_EXPORTS:%.txt=%.list)
-    ifneq (,$(exports_file))
-      LINK.shared	+= -Wl,--version-script=$(exports_file)
-    endif
-    SHLIB_LINK		+= -lc
-  else
-    LINK.shared		= $(LD) -x -Bshareable -Bforcearchive
+  LINK.shared		= $(COMPILER) -shared
+  ifdef soname
+    LINK.shared		+= -Wl,-x,-soname,$(soname)
   endif
+  BUILD.exports		= ( echo '{ global:'; $(AWK) '/^[^\#]/ {printf "%s;\n",$$1}' $<; echo ' local: *; };' ) >$@
+  exports_file		= $(SHLIB_EXPORTS:%.txt=%.list)
+  ifneq (,$(exports_file))
+    LINK.shared		+= -Wl,--version-script=$(exports_file)
+  endif
+  SHLIB_LINK		+= -lc
 endif
 
 ifeq ($(PORTNAME), freebsd)
-  ifdef ELF_SYSTEM
-    ifdef SO_MAJOR_VERSION
-      shlib		= lib$(NAME)$(DLSUFFIX).$(SO_MAJOR_VERSION)
-    endif
-    LINK.shared		= $(COMPILER) -shared
-    ifdef soname
-      LINK.shared	+= -Wl,-x,-soname,$(soname)
-    endif
-    BUILD.exports	= ( echo '{ global:'; $(AWK) '/^[^\#]/ {printf "%s;\n",$$1}' $<; echo ' local: *; };' ) >$@
-    exports_file	= $(SHLIB_EXPORTS:%.txt=%.list)
-    ifneq (,$(exports_file))
-      LINK.shared	+= -Wl,--version-script=$(exports_file)
-    endif
-  else
-    ifdef SO_MAJOR_VERSION
-      shlib		= lib$(NAME)$(DLSUFFIX).$(SO_MAJOR_VERSION).$(SO_MINOR_VERSION)
-    endif
-    LINK.shared		= $(LD) -x -Bshareable -Bforcearchive
+  ifdef SO_MAJOR_VERSION
+    shlib		= lib$(NAME)$(DLSUFFIX).$(SO_MAJOR_VERSION)
+  endif
+  LINK.shared		= $(COMPILER) -shared
+  ifdef soname
+    LINK.shared		+= -Wl,-x,-soname,$(soname)
+  endif
+  BUILD.exports		= ( echo '{ global:'; $(AWK) '/^[^\#]/ {printf "%s;\n",$$1}' $<; echo ' local: *; };' ) >$@
+  exports_file		= $(SHLIB_EXPORTS:%.txt=%.list)
+  ifneq (,$(exports_file))
+    LINK.shared		+= -Wl,--version-script=$(exports_file)
   endif
 endif
 
 ifeq ($(PORTNAME), netbsd)
-  ifdef ELF_SYSTEM
-    LINK.shared		= $(COMPILER) -shared
-    ifdef soname
-      LINK.shared	+= -Wl,-x,-soname,$(soname)
-    endif
-    BUILD.exports	= ( echo '{ global:'; $(AWK) '/^[^\#]/ {printf "%s;\n",$$1}' $<; echo ' local: *; };' ) >$@
-    exports_file	= $(SHLIB_EXPORTS:%.txt=%.list)
-    ifneq (,$(exports_file))
-      LINK.shared	+= -Wl,--version-script=$(exports_file)
-    endif
-  else
-    LINK.shared		= $(LD) -x -Bshareable -Bforcearchive
+  LINK.shared		= $(COMPILER) -shared
+  ifdef soname
+    LINK.shared		+= -Wl,-x,-soname,$(soname)
+  endif
+  BUILD.exports		= ( echo '{ global:'; $(AWK) '/^[^\#]/ {printf "%s;\n",$$1}' $<; echo ' local: *; };' ) >$@
+  exports_file		= $(SHLIB_EXPORTS:%.txt=%.list)
+  ifneq (,$(exports_file))
+    LINK.shared		+= -Wl,--version-script=$(exports_file)
   endif
 endif
 
diff --git a/src/makefiles/Makefile.freebsd b/src/makefiles/Makefile.freebsd
index 98a6f50615..c462e2fd58 100644
--- a/src/makefiles/Makefile.freebsd
+++ b/src/makefiles/Makefile.freebsd
@@ -1,9 +1,7 @@
 AROPT = cr
 
-ifdef ELF_SYSTEM
 export_dynamic = -Wl,-export-dynamic
 rpath = -Wl,-R'$(rpathdir)'
-endif
 
 DLSUFFIX = .so
 
@@ -20,14 +18,4 @@ endef
 
 # Rule for building a shared library from a single .o file
 %.so: %.o
-ifdef ELF_SYSTEM
 	$(CC) $(CFLAGS) $< $(LDFLAGS) $(LDFLAGS_SL) -shared -o $@
-else
-	$(LD) $(LDREL) $(LDOUT) $<.obj -x $<
-	@echo building shared object $@
-	@rm -f $@.pic
-	@${AR} cq $@.pic $<.obj
-	${RANLIB} $@.pic
-	@rm -f $@
-	$(LD) -x -Bshareable -Bforcearchive -o $@ $@.pic
-endif
diff --git a/src/makefiles/Makefile.netbsd b/src/makefiles/Makefile.netbsd
index 7bb9721fa5..15695fb65c 100644
--- a/src/makefiles/Makefile.netbsd
+++ b/src/makefiles/Makefile.netbsd
@@ -1,11 +1,7 @@
 AROPT = cr
 
-ifdef ELF_SYSTEM
 export_dynamic = -Wl,-E
 rpath = -Wl,-R'$(rpathdir)'
-else
-rpath = -Wl,-R'$(rpathdir)'
-endif
 
 DLSUFFIX = .so
 
@@ -14,14 +10,4 @@ CFLAGS_SL = -fPIC -DPIC
 
 # Rule for building a shared library from a single .o file
 %.so: %.o
-ifdef ELF_SYSTEM
 	$(CC) $(CFLAGS) $< $(LDFLAGS) $(LDFLAGS_SL) -shared -o $@
-else
-	$(LD) $(LDREL) $(LDOUT) $<.obj -x $<
-	@echo building shared object $@
-	@rm -f $@.pic
-	@${AR} cq $@.pic $<.obj
-	${RANLIB} $@.pic
-	@rm -f $@
-	$(LD) -x -Bshareable -Bforcearchive -o $@ $@.pic
-endif
diff --git a/src/makefiles/Makefile.openbsd b/src/makefiles/Makefile.openbsd
index eda311087c..15695fb65c 100644
--- a/src/makefiles/Makefile.openbsd
+++ b/src/makefiles/Makefile.openbsd
@@ -1,9 +1,7 @@
 AROPT = cr
 
-ifdef ELF_SYSTEM
 export_dynamic = -Wl,-E
 rpath = -Wl,-R'$(rpathdir)'
-endif
 
 DLSUFFIX = .so
 
@@ -12,14 +10,4 @@ CFLAGS_SL = -fPIC -DPIC
 
 # Rule for building a shared library from a single .o file
 %.so: %.o
-ifdef ELF_SYSTEM
 	$(CC) $(CFLAGS) $< $(LDFLAGS) $(LDFLAGS_SL) -shared -o $@
-else
-	$(LD) $(LDREL) $(LDOUT) $<.obj -x $<
-	@echo building shared object $@
-	@rm -f $@.pic
-	@${AR} cq $@.pic $<.obj
-	${RANLIB} $@.pic
-	@rm -f $@
-	$(LD) -x -Bshareable -Bforcearchive -o $@ $@.pic
-endif