diff --git a/cc/linker.go b/cc/linker.go
index ae5ee0a..f65d7c8 100644
--- a/cc/linker.go
+++ b/cc/linker.go
@@ -491,7 +491,15 @@
 
 func (linker *baseLinker) linkerSpecifiedDeps(specifiedDeps specifiedDeps) specifiedDeps {
 	specifiedDeps.sharedLibs = append(specifiedDeps.sharedLibs, linker.Properties.Shared_libs...)
-	specifiedDeps.systemSharedLibs = append(specifiedDeps.systemSharedLibs, linker.Properties.System_shared_libs...)
+
+	// Must distinguish nil and [] in system_shared_libs - ensure that [] in
+	// either input list doesn't come out as nil.
+	if specifiedDeps.systemSharedLibs == nil {
+		specifiedDeps.systemSharedLibs = linker.Properties.System_shared_libs
+	} else {
+		specifiedDeps.systemSharedLibs = append(specifiedDeps.systemSharedLibs, linker.Properties.System_shared_libs...)
+	}
+
 	return specifiedDeps
 }