diff --git a/gnu/packages/maths.scm b/gnu/packages/maths.scm
index 3830393706..d564de4245 100644
--- a/gnu/packages/maths.scm
+++ b/gnu/packages/maths.scm
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 ;;; Copyright © 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 Eric Bavier <bavier@member.fsf.org>
 ;;; Copyright © 2014 Federico Beffa <beffa@fbengineering.ch>
 ;;; Copyright © 2014 Mathieu Lirzin <mathieu.lirzin@openmailbox.org>
-;;; Copyright © 2015, 2016, 2017 Ricardo Wurmus <rekado@elephly.net>
+;;; Copyright © 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 Ricardo Wurmus <rekado@elephly.net>
 ;;; Copyright © 2015 Sou Bunnbu <iyzsong@gmail.com>
 ;;; Copyright © 2015 Mark H Weaver <mhw@netris.org>
 ;;; Copyright © 2015, 2016, 2017 Efraim Flashner <efraim@flashner.co.il>
@@ -704,7 +704,9 @@ incompatible with HDF5.")
        #:configure-flags '("--enable-cxx"
                            "--enable-fortran"
                            "--enable-fortran2003")
-
+       ;; Use -fPIC to allow the R bindings to link with the static libraries
+       #:make-flags (list "CFLAGS=-fPIC"
+                          "CXXFLAGS=-fPIC")
        #:phases
        (modify-phases %standard-phases
          (add-before 'configure 'patch-configure