diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index 7557fa8aa8..02f4737c41 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,9 @@
+2011-05-18  Ryan S. Arnold  <rsa@us.ibm.com>
+
+	* sysdeps/powerpc/powerpc64/Makefile (no-special-regs): Add -mno-vsx
+	and -mno-altivec to prevent the compiler from using Altivec and/or
+	VSX instructions when the corresponding registers are not available.
+
 2011-05-19  Andreas Schwab  <schwab@redhat.com>
 
 	* grp/compat-initgroups.c (__libc_use_alloca): Don't define.
diff --git a/sysdeps/powerpc/powerpc64/Makefile b/sysdeps/powerpc/powerpc64/Makefile
index 78d4f07e57..136de3008e 100644
--- a/sysdeps/powerpc/powerpc64/Makefile
+++ b/sysdeps/powerpc/powerpc64/Makefile
@@ -12,7 +12,10 @@ endif
 
 # These flags prevent FPU or Altivec registers from being used,
 # for code called in contexts that is not allowed to touch those registers.
-# Stupid GCC requires us to pass all these ridiculous switches.
+# Stupid GCC requires us to pass all these ridiculous switches.  We need to
+# pass the -mno-* switches as well to prevent the compiler from attempting
+# to emit altivec or vsx instructions, especially when the registers aren't
+# available.
 no-special-regs := $(sort $(foreach n,40 41 50 51 60 61 62 63 \
 				      $(foreach m,2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9, \
 						  3$m 4$m 5$m),\
@@ -20,7 +23,7 @@ no-special-regs := $(sort $(foreach n,40 41 50 51 60 61 62 63 \
 		   $(sort $(foreach n,$(foreach m,0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9,\
 						$m 1$m 2$m) 30 31,\
 				    -ffixed-v$n)) \
-		   -ffixed-vrsave -ffixed-vscr
+		   -ffixed-vrsave -ffixed-vscr -mno-altivec -mno-vsx
 
 ifeq ($(subdir),csu)
 sysdep_routines += hp-timing