diff --git a/gnu/local.mk b/gnu/local.mk
index 535039e768..1c3685457f 100644
--- a/gnu/local.mk
+++ b/gnu/local.mk
@@ -895,6 +895,7 @@ dist_patch_DATA =						\
   %D%/packages/patches/lvm2-static-link.patch			\
   %D%/packages/patches/lxsession-use-gapplication.patch         \
   %D%/packages/patches/mailutils-uninitialized-memory.patch	\
+  %D%/packages/patches/make-glibc-compat.patch			\
   %D%/packages/patches/make-impure-dirs.patch			\
   %D%/packages/patches/mars-install.patch			\
   %D%/packages/patches/mars-sfml-2.3.patch			\
diff --git a/gnu/packages/base.scm b/gnu/packages/base.scm
index 06f41284ef..bce85e8e2c 100644
--- a/gnu/packages/base.scm
+++ b/gnu/packages/base.scm
@@ -386,13 +386,17 @@ functionality beyond that which is outlined in the POSIX standard.")
             (sha256
              (base32
               "12f5zzyq2w56g95nni65hc0g5p7154033y2f3qmjvd016szn5qnn"))
-            (patches (search-patches "make-impure-dirs.patch"))))
+            (patches (search-patches "make-impure-dirs.patch"
+                                     "make-glibc-compat.patch"))))
    (build-system gnu-build-system)
    (native-inputs `(("pkg-config" ,pkg-config)))  ; to detect Guile
    (inputs `(("guile" ,guile-2.0)))
    (outputs '("out" "debug"))
    (arguments
-    '(#:phases
+    '(;; Work around faulty glob detection with glibc 2.27.  See
+      ;; <https://lists.nongnu.org/archive/html/bug-make/2017-11/msg00027.html>.
+      #:configure-flags '("make_cv_sys_gnu_glob=yes")
+      #:phases
       (modify-phases %standard-phases
         (add-before 'build 'set-default-shell
           (lambda* (#:key inputs #:allow-other-keys)
diff --git a/gnu/packages/patches/make-glibc-compat.patch b/gnu/packages/patches/make-glibc-compat.patch
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..9ce7f2b5bf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/gnu/packages/patches/make-glibc-compat.patch
@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+Work with the new glob interface in glibc 2.27.
+
+Taken from this upstream commit:
+https://git.savannah.gnu.org/cgit/make.git/commit/?id=193f1e81edd6b1b56b0eb0ff8aa4b41c7b4257b4
+
+diff --git a/dir.c b/dir.c
+index adbb8a9..c343e4c 100644
+--- a/dir.c
++++ b/dir.c
+@@ -1299,15 +1299,40 @@ local_stat (const char *path, struct stat *buf)
+ }
+ #endif
+ 
++/* Similarly for lstat.  */
++#if !defined(lstat) && !defined(WINDOWS32) || defined(VMS)
++# ifndef VMS
++#  ifndef HAVE_SYS_STAT_H
++int lstat (const char *path, struct stat *sbuf);
++#  endif
++# else
++    /* We are done with the fake lstat.  Go back to the real lstat */
++#   ifdef lstat
++#     undef lstat
++#   endif
++# endif
++# define local_lstat lstat
++#elif defined(WINDOWS32)
++/* Windows doesn't support lstat().  */
++# define local_lstat local_stat
++#else
++static int
++local_lstat (const char *path, struct stat *buf)
++{
++  int e;
++  EINTRLOOP (e, lstat (path, buf));
++  return e;
++}
++#endif
++
+ void
+ dir_setup_glob (glob_t *gl)
+ {
+   gl->gl_opendir = open_dirstream;
+   gl->gl_readdir = read_dirstream;
+   gl->gl_closedir = free;
++  gl->gl_lstat = local_lstat;
+   gl->gl_stat = local_stat;
+-  /* We don't bother setting gl_lstat, since glob never calls it.
+-     The slot is only there for compatibility with 4.4 BSD.  */
+ }
+ 
+ void