Index: Lib/distutils/tests/test_sysconfig.py
===================================================================
--- Lib/distutils/tests/test_sysconfig.py	(revision 70611)
+++ Lib/distutils/tests/test_sysconfig.py	(working copy)
@@ -50,17 +50,22 @@
             return
 
         os.environ['AR'] = 'xxx'
+        os.environ['LIBS'] = 'gcov -lyyy   zzz'
 
-        # make sure AR gets caught
+        # make sure certain environment variables get caught
         class compiler:
             compiler_type = 'unix'
 
+            def __init__(self):
+                self.libraries = []
+
             def set_executables(self, **kw):
                 self.exes = kw
 
         comp = compiler()
         sysconfig.customize_compiler(comp)
         self.assertEquals(comp.exes['archiver'], 'xxx')
+        self.assertEquals(comp.libraries, ['gcov', 'yyy', 'zzz'])
 
 
 def test_suite():
Index: Lib/distutils/command/build_ext.py
===================================================================
--- Lib/distutils/command/build_ext.py	(revision 70611)
+++ Lib/distutils/command/build_ext.py	(working copy)
@@ -341,7 +341,8 @@
             for macro in self.undef:
                 self.compiler.undefine_macro(macro)
         if self.libraries is not None:
-            self.compiler.set_libraries(self.libraries)
+            for lib in self.libraries:
+                self.compiler.add_library(lib)
         if self.library_dirs is not None:
             self.compiler.set_library_dirs(self.library_dirs)
         if self.rpath is not None:
Index: Lib/distutils/sysconfig.py
===================================================================
--- Lib/distutils/sysconfig.py	(revision 70611)
+++ Lib/distutils/sysconfig.py	(working copy)
@@ -165,9 +165,9 @@
     varies across Unices and is stored in Python's Makefile.
     """
     if compiler.compiler_type == "unix":
-        (cc, cxx, opt, cflags, ccshared, ldshared, so_ext, ar) = \
+        (cc, cxx, opt, cflags, ccshared, ldshared, so_ext, ar, libs) = \
             get_config_vars('CC', 'CXX', 'OPT', 'CFLAGS',
-                            'CCSHARED', 'LDSHARED', 'SO', 'AR')
+                            'CCSHARED', 'LDSHARED', 'SO', 'AR', 'LIBS')
 
         if 'CC' in os.environ:
             cc = os.environ['CC']
@@ -190,6 +190,8 @@
             ldshared = ldshared + ' ' + os.environ['CPPFLAGS']
         if 'AR' in os.environ:
             ar = os.environ['AR']
+        if 'LIBS' in os.environ:
+            libs = os.environ['LIBS']
 
         cc_cmd = cc + ' ' + cflags
         compiler.set_executables(
@@ -202,6 +204,12 @@
             archiver=ar)
 
         compiler.shared_lib_extension = so_ext
+        for chunk in libs.split(" "):
+            if not chunk:
+                continue
+            if chunk.startswith("-l"):
+                chunk = chunk[2:]
+            compiler.libraries.append(chunk)
 
 
 def get_config_h_filename():