diff --git a/include/slibtool/slibtool.h b/include/slibtool/slibtool.h
index ebd0794..b9327f4 100644
--- a/include/slibtool/slibtool.h
+++ b/include/slibtool/slibtool.h
@@ -82,6 +82,10 @@ struct slbt_exec_ctx {
 	char *	program;
 	char **	argv;
 	char **	envp;
+	char ** dpic;
+	char ** fpic;
+	char ** cass;
+	char ** lout[2];
 	char *	csrc;
 	char *	ldirname;
 	char *	lbasename;
@@ -131,6 +135,7 @@ slbt_api void slbt_free_unit_ctx	(struct slbt_unit_ctx *);
 
 slbt_api int  slbt_get_exec_ctx		(const struct slbt_driver_ctx *, struct slbt_exec_ctx **);
 slbt_api void slbt_free_exec_ctx	(struct slbt_exec_ctx *);
+slbt_api void slbt_reset_placeholders	(struct slbt_exec_ctx *);
 
 slbt_api int  slbt_map_input		(int fd, const char * path, int prot, struct slbt_input *);
 slbt_api int  slbt_unmap_input		(struct slbt_input *);
diff --git a/src/logic/slbt_exec_ctx.c b/src/logic/slbt_exec_ctx.c
index e191585..cfa7434 100644
--- a/src/logic/slbt_exec_ctx.c
+++ b/src/logic/slbt_exec_ctx.c
@@ -183,20 +183,19 @@ int  slbt_get_exec_ctx(
 		}
 	}
 
-	if (dctx->cctx->mode == SLBT_MODE_COMPILE) {
-		if (dctx->cctx->drvflags & SLBT_DRIVER_SHARED) {
-			ictx->ctx.argv[i++] = "-DPIC";
-			ictx->ctx.argv[i++] = "-fPIC";
-		}
+	/* placeholders for -DPIC, -fPIC, -c, -o, <output> */
+	ictx->ctx.dpic = &ictx->ctx.argv[i++];
+	ictx->ctx.fpic = &ictx->ctx.argv[i++];
+	ictx->ctx.cass = &ictx->ctx.argv[i++];
 
-		ictx->ctx.argv[i++] = "-c";
-	}
+	ictx->ctx.lout[0] = &ictx->ctx.argv[i++];
+	ictx->ctx.lout[1] = &ictx->ctx.argv[i++];
 
 	/* output file name */
 	if (ref) {
-		ictx->ctx.argv[i++] = "-o";
-		ictx->ctx.argv[i++] = ch;
-		ictx->ctx.lobjname  = ch;
+		*ictx->ctx.lout[0] = "-o";
+		*ictx->ctx.lout[1] = ch;
+		ictx->ctx.lobjname = ch;
 
 		sprintf(ch,"%s%s",
 			ictx->ctx.ldirname,
@@ -229,3 +228,14 @@ void slbt_free_exec_ctx(struct slbt_exec_ctx * ctx)
 		slbt_free_exec_ctx_impl(ictx,0);
 	}
 }
+
+
+void slbt_reset_placeholders(struct slbt_exec_ctx * ectx)
+{
+	*ectx->dpic = "-DSLIBTOOL_PLACEHOLDER_DPIC";
+	*ectx->fpic = "-DSLIBTOOL_PLACEHOLDER_FPIC";
+	*ectx->cass = "-DSLIBTOOL_PLACEHOLDER_COMPILE_ASSEMBLE";
+
+	*ectx->lout[0] = "-DSLIBTOOL_PLACEHOLDER_OUTPUT_SWITCH";
+	*ectx->lout[1] = "-DSLIBTOOL_PLACEHOLDER_OUTPUT_FILE";
+}