diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index c8a753590..ccac277ee 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -118,13 +118,14 @@ make_gc_var    = $$($(1)$(subst -,_,$(2)))
 gc_impl        = $(call make_gc_var,GC_STEM_,$(1)).c
 gc_attrs       = $(call make_gc_var,GC_STEM_,$(1))-attrs.h
 gc_cppflags    = $(call make_gc_var,GC_CPPFLAGS_,$(1))
+gc_cppflags    += -DGC_ATTRS=\"../api/$(call gc_attrs,$(1))\"
 gc_impl_cflags = $(call make_gc_var,GC_IMPL_CFLAGS_,$(1))
 gc_libs        = $(call make_gc_var,GC_LIBS_,$(1))
 define benchmark_template
 obj/$(1).$(2).gc.o: src/$(call gc_impl,$(2)) | .deps obj
 	$$(COMPILE) $(call gc_cppflags,$(2)) $(call gc_impl_cflags,$(2)) -DGC_EMBEDDER=\"../benchmarks/$(1)-embedder.h\" -c $$<
 obj/$(1).$(2).o: benchmarks/$(1).c | .deps obj
-	$$(COMPILE) $(call gc_cppflags,$(2)) -include api/$(call gc_attrs,$(2)) -c $$<
+	$$(COMPILE) $(call gc_cppflags,$(2)) -c $$<
 bin/$(1).$(2): obj/$(1).$(2).gc.o obj/$(1).$(2).o obj/gc-stack.o obj/gc-options.o obj/gc-platform.o obj/gc-tracepoint.o obj/$(1).gc-ephemeron.o obj/$(1).gc-finalizer.o | bin
 	$$(LINK) $$^ $(call gc_libs,$(2))
 endef
diff --git a/api/gc-attrs.h b/api/gc-attrs.h
index 44d5d47e6..4c801c1c8 100644
--- a/api/gc-attrs.h
+++ b/api/gc-attrs.h
@@ -66,4 +66,12 @@ static inline enum gc_cooperative_safepoint_kind gc_cooperative_safepoint_kind(v
 
 static inline int gc_can_pin_objects(void) GC_ALWAYS_INLINE;
 
+#ifndef GC_IMPL
+#ifdef GC_ATTRS
+#include GC_ATTRS
+#else
+#error Fix build system to pass -DGC_ATTRS="path/to/foo-attrs.h" for selected GC
+#endif // GC_ATTRS
+#endif // GC_IMPL
+
 #endif // GC_ATTRS_H
diff --git a/embed.am b/embed.am
index 83c89d172..14bbc6feb 100644
--- a/embed.am
+++ b/embed.am
@@ -44,18 +44,34 @@
 
 noinst_LTLIBRARIES += libwhippet-common.la libwhippet.la
 
-libwhippet_common_la_SOURCES = \
-  %D%/src/gc-options-internal.h \
-  %D%/src/gc-options.c \
-  %D%/src/gc-stack.c \
-  %D%/src/gc-stack.h \
-  %D%/src/gc-tracepoint.c
-
-if WHIPPET_PLATFORM_GNU_LINUX
-libwhippet_common_la_SOURCES += %D%/src/gc-platform-gnu-linux.c
-endif
-
 libwhippet_la_SOURCES = \
+  %D%/api/bdw-attrs.h \
+  %D%/api/gc-allocation-kind.h \
+  %D%/api/gc-api.h \
+  %D%/api/gc-assert.h \
+  %D%/api/gc-attrs.h \
+  %D%/api/gc-basic-stats.h \
+  %D%/api/gc-collection-kind.h \
+  %D%/api/gc-config.h \
+  %D%/api/gc-conservative-ref.h \
+  %D%/api/gc-edge.h \
+  %D%/api/gc-embedder-api.h \
+  %D%/api/gc-ephemeron.h \
+  %D%/api/gc-event-listener-chain.h \
+  %D%/api/gc-event-listener.h \
+  %D%/api/gc-finalizer.h \
+  %D%/api/gc-forwarding.h \
+  %D%/api/gc-histogram.h \
+  %D%/api/gc-inline.h \
+  %D%/api/gc-lttng.h \
+  %D%/api/gc-null-event-listener.h \
+  %D%/api/gc-options.h \
+  %D%/api/gc-ref.h \
+  %D%/api/gc-tracepoint.h \
+  %D%/api/gc-visibility.h \
+  %D%/api/mmc-attrs.h \
+  %D%/api/pcc-attrs.h \
+  %D%/api/semi-attrs.h \
   %D%/src/adaptive-heap-sizer.h \
   %D%/src/address-hash.h \
   %D%/src/address-map.h \
@@ -74,16 +90,21 @@ libwhippet_la_SOURCES = \
   %D%/src/gc-finalizer.c \
   %D%/src/gc-internal.h \
   %D%/src/gc-lock.h \
+  %D%/src/gc-options-internal.h \
+  %D%/src/gc-options.c \
   %D%/src/gc-platform.h \
+  %D%/src/gc-stack.c \
+  %D%/src/gc-stack.h \
   %D%/src/gc-trace.h \
+  %D%/src/gc-tracepoint.c \
   %D%/src/growable-heap-sizer.h \
   %D%/src/heap-sizer.h \
   %D%/src/large-object-space.h \
   %D%/src/local-worklist.h \
   %D%/src/nofl-space.h \
   %D%/src/parallel-tracer.h \
-  %D%/src/root.h \
   %D%/src/root-worklist.h \
+  %D%/src/root.h \
   %D%/src/serial-tracer.h \
   %D%/src/shared-worklist.h \
   %D%/src/simple-worklist.h \
@@ -92,6 +113,10 @@ libwhippet_la_SOURCES = \
   %D%/src/swar.h \
   %D%/src/tracer.h
 
+if WHIPPET_PLATFORM_GNU_LINUX
+libwhippet_la_SOURCES += %D%/src/gc-platform-gnu-linux.c
+endif
+
 WHIPPET_CPPFLAGS_bdw = -DGC_CONSERVATIVE_ROOTS=1 -DGC_CONSERVATIVE_TRACE=1
 WHIPPET_CPPFLAGS_semi = -DGC_PRECISE_ROOTS=1
 WHIPPET_CPPFLAGS_pcc = -DGC_PRECISE_ROOTS=1 -DGC_PARALLEL=1
@@ -132,75 +157,38 @@ endif
 
 if WHIPPET_COLLECTOR_SEMI
 libwhippet_la_SOURCES += %D%/src/semi.c
-WHIPPET_CPPFLAGS      += -DWHIPPET_ATTRS=\"$(srcdir)/%D%/api/semi-attrs.h\"
+WHIPPET_CPPFLAGS      += -DGC_ATTRS=\"$(srcdir)/%D%/api/semi-attrs.h\"
 endif
 
 if WHIPPET_COLLECTOR_PCC
 libwhippet_la_SOURCES += %D%/src/pcc.c
-WHIPPET_CPPFLAGS       += -DWHIPPET_ATTRS=\"$(srcdir)/%D%/api/pcc-attrs.h\"
+WHIPPET_CPPFLAGS       += -DGC_ATTRS=\"$(srcdir)/%D%/api/pcc-attrs.h\"
 endif
 
 if WHIPPET_COLLECTOR_BDW
 libwhippet_la_SOURCES += %D%/src/bdw.c
 WHIPPET_IMPL_CFLAGS   += $(WHIPPET_BDW_CFLAGS)
 WHIPPET_LIBS          += $(WHIPPET_BDW_LIBS)
-WHIPPET_CPPFLAGS      += -DWHIPPET_ATTRS=\"$(srcdir)/%D%/api/bdw-attrs.h\"
+WHIPPET_CPPFLAGS      += -DGC_ATTRS=\"$(srcdir)/%D%/api/bdw-attrs.h\"
 endif
 
 if WHIPPET_COLLECTOR_MMC
 libwhippet_la_SOURCES += %D%/src/mmc.c
-WHIPPET_CPPFLAGS      += -DWHIPPET_ATTRS=\"$(srcdir)/%D%/api/mmc-attrs.h\"
+WHIPPET_CPPFLAGS      += -DGC_ATTRS=\"$(srcdir)/%D%/api/mmc-attrs.h\"
 endif
 
 # add to cflags: -flto -fvisibility=hidden -fno-strict-aliasing
 
-libwhippet_common_la_CPPFLAGS = $(WHIPPET_CPPFLAGS)
-libwhippet_common_la_CFLAGS = -Wall -Wno-unused $(CFLAGS)
-libwhippet_common_la_LDFLAGS = -lpthread $(LDFLAGS)
-libwhippet_common_la_LIBADD = $(LIBS)
-
-if WHIPPET_USE_LTTNG
-libwhippet_common_la_CPPFLAGS += $(WHIPPET_LTTNG_CFLAGS) -DGC_TRACEPOINT_LTTNG=1
-WHIPPET_LIBS += $(WHIPPET_LTTNG_LIBS)
-endif
+libwhippet_la_CPPFLAGS = $(WHIPPET_CPPFLAGS)
+libwhippet_la_CPPFLAGS += -DGC_EMBEDDER=\"../../$(srcdir)/$(WHIPPET_EMBEDDER_H)\"
+libwhippet_la_CFLAGS = -Wall -Wno-unused $(CFLAGS) $(WHIPPET_IMPL_CFLAGS)
+libwhippet_la_LDFLAGS = -lpthread $(LDFLAGS) $(WHIPPET_LIBS)
 
 if !WHIPPET_ENABLE_DEBUG
-libwhippet_common_la_CFLAGS += -DNDEBUG
+libwhippet_la_CPPFLAGS += -DNDEBUG
 endif
 
-libwhippet_la_CPPFLAGS = $(libwhippet_common_la_CPPFLAGS)
-libwhippet_la_CPPFLAGS += -DGC_EMBEDDER=\"$(WHIPPET_EMBEDDER_H)\"
-libwhippet_la_CFLAGS = $(libwhippet_common_la_CFLAGS)
-libwhippet_la_CFLAGS += $(WHIPPET_IMPL_CFLAGS)
-libwhippet_la_LDFLAGS = $(libwhippet_common_la_LDFLAGS) $(WHIPPET_LIBS)
-libwhippet_la_LIBADD = libwhippet-common.la
-
-# Header files that are part of Whippet's API.  Not installed, though.
-libwhippet_la_SOURCES += \
-  %D%/api/bdw-attrs.h \
-  %D%/api/gc-allocation-kind.h \
-  %D%/api/gc-api.h \
-  %D%/api/gc-assert.h \
-  %D%/api/gc-attrs.h \
-  %D%/api/gc-basic-stats.h \
-  %D%/api/gc-collection-kind.h \
-  %D%/api/gc-config.h \
-  %D%/api/gc-conservative-ref.h \
-  %D%/api/gc-edge.h \
-  %D%/api/gc-embedder-api.h \
-  %D%/api/gc-ephemeron.h \
-  %D%/api/gc-event-listener-chain.h \
-  %D%/api/gc-event-listener.h \
-  %D%/api/gc-finalizer.h \
-  %D%/api/gc-forwarding.h \
-  %D%/api/gc-histogram.h \
-  %D%/api/gc-inline.h \
-  %D%/api/gc-lttng.h \
-  %D%/api/gc-null-event-listener.h \
-  %D%/api/gc-options.h \
-  %D%/api/gc-ref.h \
-  %D%/api/gc-tracepoint.h \
-  %D%/api/gc-visibility.h \
-  %D%/api/mmc-attrs.h \
-  %D%/api/pcc-attrs.h \
-  %D%/api/semi-attrs.h
+if WHIPPET_USE_LTTNG
+libwhippet_la_CPPFLAGS += $(WHIPPET_LTTNG_CFLAGS) -DGC_TRACEPOINT_LTTNG=1
+WHIPPET_LIBS += $(WHIPPET_LTTNG_LIBS)
+endif
diff --git a/embed.mk b/embed.mk
index 1fdef7d8b..c00bac1f6 100644
--- a/embed.mk
+++ b/embed.mk
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ gc_libs        = $(call gc_var,GC_LIBS_,$(1))
 
 GC_IMPL        	    = $(call gc_impl,$(GC_COLLECTOR))
 GC_CPPFLAGS         += $(call gc_cppflags,$(GC_COLLECTOR))
-GC_CPPFLAGS         += -DWHIPPET_ATTRS=\"$(GC_BASE)api/$(GC_IMPL)-attrs.h\"
+GC_CPPFLAGS         += -DGC_ATTRS=\"$(GC_BASE)api/$(GC_IMPL)-attrs.h\"
 GC_IMPL_CFLAGS 	    = $(call gc_impl_cflags,$(GC_COLLECTOR))
 GC_LIBS             = $(call gc_libs,$(GC_COLLECTOR))
 
diff --git a/src/bdw.c b/src/bdw.c
index ea446557d..2fcc02e37 100644
--- a/src/bdw.c
+++ b/src/bdw.c
@@ -3,11 +3,12 @@
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <string.h>
 
+#define GC_IMPL 1
+
 #include "gc-api.h"
 #include "gc-ephemeron.h"
 #include "gc-tracepoint.h"
 
-#define GC_IMPL 1
 #include "gc-internal.h"
 
 #include "bdw-attrs.h"