diff --git a/src/build_settings.cpp b/src/build_settings.cpp
index df9142c74..4d8a5a495 100644
--- a/src/build_settings.cpp
+++ b/src/build_settings.cpp
@@ -1898,6 +1898,20 @@ gb_internal void init_build_context(TargetMetrics *cross_target, Subtarget subta
 				}
 				break;
 		}
+	} else if (metrics->os == TargetOs_linux) {
+		if (bc->reloc_mode == RelocMode_Default) {
+			bc->reloc_mode = RelocMode_PIC;
+		}
+	} else if (metrics->os == TargetOs_openbsd) {
+		// Always use PIC for OpenBSD: it defaults to PIE
+		if (bc->reloc_mode == RelocMode_Default) {
+			bc->reloc_mode = RelocMode_PIC;
+		}
+	} else if (metrics->arch == TargetArch_riscv64) {
+		// NOTE(laytan): didn't seem to work without this.
+		if (bc->reloc_mode == RelocMode_Default) {
+			bc->reloc_mode = RelocMode_PIC;
+		}
 	} else if (metrics->os == TargetOs_linux && subtarget == Subtarget_Android) {
 		switch (metrics->arch) {
 		case TargetArch_arm64:
diff --git a/src/linker.cpp b/src/linker.cpp
index 50bb4e524..1af78de15 100644
--- a/src/linker.cpp
+++ b/src/linker.cpp
@@ -788,7 +788,12 @@ try_cross_linking:;
 			}
 
 			if (build_context.build_mode == BuildMode_Executable && build_context.reloc_mode == RelocMode_PIC) {
-				// Do not disable PIE, let the linker choose. (most likely you want it enabled)
+				if (build_context.metrics.os == TargetOs_linux) {
+					// Linux does not enable PIE by default but required for ASLR
+					link_settings = gb_string_appendc(link_settings, "-pie ");
+				} else {
+					// Do not disable PIE, let the linker choose. (most likely you want it enabled)
+				}
 			} else if (build_context.build_mode != BuildMode_DynamicLibrary) {
 				if (build_context.metrics.os != TargetOs_openbsd
 					&& build_context.metrics.arch != TargetArch_riscv64
@@ -906,6 +911,9 @@ try_cross_linking:;
 				// need to pass -z nobtcfi in order to allow the resulting program to run under
 				// OpenBSD 7.4 and newer. Once support is added at compile time, this can be dropped.
 				platform_lib_str = gb_string_appendc(platform_lib_str, "-Wl,-z,nobtcfi ");
+			} else if (build_context.metrics.os == TargetOs_linux) {
+				// required for RELRO
+				platform_lib_str = gb_string_appendc(platform_lib_str, "-Wl,-z,now -Wl,-z,relro ");
 			}
 
 			if (is_android) {
diff --git a/src/llvm_backend.cpp b/src/llvm_backend.cpp
index 40aceb7fe..e08116736 100644
--- a/src/llvm_backend.cpp
+++ b/src/llvm_backend.cpp
@@ -3156,16 +3156,6 @@ gb_internal bool lb_generate_code(lbGenerator *gen) {
 
 	switch (build_context.reloc_mode) {
 	case RelocMode_Default:
-		if (build_context.metrics.os == TargetOs_openbsd) {
-			// Always use PIC for OpenBSD: it defaults to PIE
-			reloc_mode = LLVMRelocPIC;
-		}
-
-		if (build_context.metrics.arch == TargetArch_riscv64) {
-			// NOTE(laytan): didn't seem to work without this.
-			reloc_mode = LLVMRelocPIC;
-		}
-
 		break;
 	case RelocMode_Static:
 		reloc_mode = LLVMRelocStatic;