diff --git a/include/qemu/osdep.h b/include/qemu/osdep.h
index 18b940db75..475a1c62ff 100644
--- a/include/qemu/osdep.h
+++ b/include/qemu/osdep.h
@@ -27,6 +27,10 @@
 #ifndef QEMU_OSDEP_H
 #define QEMU_OSDEP_H
 
+#if !defined _FORTIFY_SOURCE && defined __OPTIMIZE__ && __OPTIMIZE__ && defined __linux__
+# define _FORTIFY_SOURCE 2
+#endif
+
 #include "config-host.h"
 #ifdef NEED_CPU_H
 #include CONFIG_TARGET
diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 21a1bc03f8..20ceeb8158 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -479,16 +479,6 @@ if 'cpp' in all_languages
   qemu_cxxflags = ['-D__STDC_LIMIT_MACROS', '-D__STDC_CONSTANT_MACROS', '-D__STDC_FORMAT_MACROS'] + qemu_cflags
 endif
 
-# clang does not support glibc + FORTIFY_SOURCE (is it still true?)
-if get_option('optimization') != '0' and targetos == 'linux'
-  if cc.get_id() == 'gcc'
-    qemu_cflags += ['-U_FORTIFY_SOURCE', '-D_FORTIFY_SOURCE=2']
-  endif
-  if 'cpp' in all_languages and cxx.get_id() == 'gcc'
-    qemu_cxxflags += ['-U_FORTIFY_SOURCE', '-D_FORTIFY_SOURCE=2']
-  endif
-endif
-
 add_project_arguments(qemu_cflags, native: false, language: 'c')
 add_project_arguments(cc.get_supported_arguments(warn_flags), native: false, language: 'c')
 if 'cpp' in all_languages
diff --git a/util/coroutine-sigaltstack.c b/util/coroutine-sigaltstack.c
index e2690c5f41..037d6416c4 100644
--- a/util/coroutine-sigaltstack.c
+++ b/util/coroutine-sigaltstack.c
@@ -22,9 +22,9 @@
  */
 
 /* XXX Is there a nicer way to disable glibc's stack check for longjmp? */
-#ifdef _FORTIFY_SOURCE
 #undef _FORTIFY_SOURCE
-#endif
+#define _FORTIFY_SOURCE 0
+
 #include "qemu/osdep.h"
 #include <pthread.h>
 #include "qemu/coroutine_int.h"
diff --git a/util/coroutine-ucontext.c b/util/coroutine-ucontext.c
index ddc98fb4f8..7b304c79d9 100644
--- a/util/coroutine-ucontext.c
+++ b/util/coroutine-ucontext.c
@@ -19,9 +19,9 @@
  */
 
 /* XXX Is there a nicer way to disable glibc's stack check for longjmp? */
-#ifdef _FORTIFY_SOURCE
 #undef _FORTIFY_SOURCE
-#endif
+#define _FORTIFY_SOURCE 0
+
 #include "qemu/osdep.h"
 #include <ucontext.h>
 #include "qemu/coroutine_int.h"