diff --git a/client/Makefile b/client/Makefile
index 135b143e4..490716eda 100644
--- a/client/Makefile
+++ b/client/Makefile
@@ -31,7 +31,14 @@ platform = $(shell uname)
 VPATH = ../common ../zlib ../uart
 OBJDIR = obj
 
-LDLIBS = -L/opt/local/lib -L/usr/local/lib -lreadline -lpthread -lm -Wl,--as-needed -latomic -Wl,--no-as-needed
+LDLIBS = -L/opt/local/lib -L/usr/local/lib -lreadline -lpthread -lm
+# RPi Zero gcc requires -latomic
+# but MacOSX /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Toolchains/XcodeDefault.xctoolchain/usr/bin/ld
+# doesn't recognize option --as-needed
+ifneq ($(platform),Darwin)
+    LDLIBS += -Wl,--as-needed -latomic -Wl,--no-as-needed
+endif
+
 LUALIB = ../liblua/liblua.a
 JANSSONLIBPATH = ./jansson
 JANSSONLIB = $(JANSSONLIBPATH)/libjansson.a