diff --git a/gdb/config/sparc/sun4os4.mh b/gdb/config/sparc/sun4os4.mh
index 6f9cc7960dd..7cd08697d02 100644
--- a/gdb/config/sparc/sun4os4.mh
+++ b/gdb/config/sparc/sun4os4.mh
@@ -3,3 +3,4 @@ XDEPFILES=
 XM_FILE= xm-sun4os4.h
 NAT_FILE= nm-sun4os4.h
 NATDEPFILES= fork-child.o infptrace.o inftarg.o corelow.o sparc-nat.o
+HOST_IPC=-DBSD_IPC
diff --git a/gdb/config/sparc/sun4sol2.mh b/gdb/config/sparc/sun4sol2.mh
index fdb8ada2541..8c97f9864e7 100644
--- a/gdb/config/sparc/sun4sol2.mh
+++ b/gdb/config/sparc/sun4sol2.mh
@@ -35,3 +35,4 @@ INSTALL = cp
 # This is commented out because we don't assume that the Sun compiler
 # is in use.
 #MH_CFLAGS=-xs
+HOST_IPC=-DBSD_IPC