diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index d2105dd64..305249a07 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -287,12 +287,12 @@ class Config(object):
         if platform.system() == "Windows":
             if mod == "_tl":
                 return [ "libcurl", "expat", "pthreadVCE2", "zlib", "wsock32" ]
-            elif mod == "_lay":
+            elif mod == "_laybasic":
                 return [ "libpng" ]
         else:
             if mod == "_tl":
                 return ['curl', 'expat']
-            elif mod == "_lay":
+            elif mod == "_laybasic":
                 return [ 'png' ]
         return []
 
diff --git a/src/laybasic/laybasic/laybasicForceLink.h b/src/laybasic/laybasic/laybasicForceLink.h
index 1f84613ce..af2188be3 100644
--- a/src/laybasic/laybasic/laybasicForceLink.h
+++ b/src/laybasic/laybasic/laybasicForceLink.h
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@
 #include "laybasicCommon.h"
 
 /**
- *  @file Include this function to force linking of the lay module
+ *  @file Include this function to force linking of the laybasic module
  */
 
 namespace laybasic
diff --git a/src/layui/layui/layui.pro b/src/layui/layui/layui.pro
index 0b2e9f730..086291e28 100644
--- a/src/layui/layui/layui.pro
+++ b/src/layui/layui/layui.pro
@@ -79,122 +79,124 @@ RESOURCES = \
   layLayoutStatistics.qrc \
 
 SOURCES = \
-    gsiDeclLayDialogs.cc \
-    gsiDeclLayMenu.cc \
-    gsiDeclLayNetlistBrowserDialog.cc \
-    gsiDeclLayStream.cc \
-    layBackgroundAwareTreeStyle.cc \
-    layBookmarkManagementForm.cc \
-    layBookmarksView.cc \
-    layBrowseInstancesForm.cc \
-    layBrowseShapesForm.cc \
-    layBrowser.cc \
-    layBrowserDialog.cc \
-    layBrowserPanel.cc \
-    layBusy.cc \
-    layCellSelectionForm.cc \
-    layCellTreeModel.cc \
-    layConfigurationDialog.cc \
-    layDialogs.cc \
-    layEditLineStyleWidget.cc \
-    layEditLineStylesForm.cc \
-    layEditStippleWidget.cc \
-    layEditStipplesForm.cc \
-    layEditorOptionsFrame.cc \
-    layEditorOptionsPage.cc \
-    layEditorOptionsPages.cc \
-    layFileDialog.cc \
-    layGenericSyntaxHighlighter.cc \
-    layHierarchyControlPanel.cc \
-    layIndexedNetlistModel.cc \
-    layItemDelegates.cc \
-    layLayerControlPanel.cc \
-    layLayerMappingWidget.cc \
-    layLayerToolbox.cc \
-    layLayerTreeModel.cc \
-    layLayoutPropertiesForm.cc \
-    layLayoutStatisticsForm.cc \
-    layLayoutViewConfigPages.cc \
-    layLayoutViewFunctions.cc \
-    layLibrariesView.cc \
-    layLoadLayoutOptionsDialog.cc \
-    layNetExportDialog.cc \
-    layNetInfoDialog.cc \
-    layNetlistBrowser.cc \
-    layNetlistBrowserDialog.cc \
-    layNetlistBrowserModel.cc \
-    layNetlistBrowserPage.cc \
-    layNetlistBrowserTreeModel.cc \
-    layNetlistCrossReferenceModel.cc \
-    layQtTools.cc \
-    laySaveLayoutOptionsDialog.cc \
-    laySelectCellViewForm.cc \
-    laySelectLineStyleForm.cc \
-    laySelectStippleForm.cc \
-    layTechnology.cc \
-    layTipDialog.cc \
-    layWidgets.cc \
-    rdbInfoWidget.cc \
-    rdbMarkerBrowser.cc \
-    rdbMarkerBrowserDialog.cc \
-    rdbMarkerBrowserPage.cc \
+  gsiDeclLayDialogs.cc \
+  gsiDeclLayMenu.cc \
+  gsiDeclLayNetlistBrowserDialog.cc \
+  gsiDeclLayStream.cc \
+  layuiForceLink.cc \
+  layBackgroundAwareTreeStyle.cc \
+  layBookmarkManagementForm.cc \
+  layBookmarksView.cc \
+  layBrowseInstancesForm.cc \
+  layBrowseShapesForm.cc \
+  layBrowser.cc \
+  layBrowserDialog.cc \
+  layBrowserPanel.cc \
+  layBusy.cc \
+  layCellSelectionForm.cc \
+  layCellTreeModel.cc \
+  layConfigurationDialog.cc \
+  layDialogs.cc \
+  layEditLineStyleWidget.cc \
+  layEditLineStylesForm.cc \
+  layEditStippleWidget.cc \
+  layEditStipplesForm.cc \
+  layEditorOptionsFrame.cc \
+  layEditorOptionsPage.cc \
+  layEditorOptionsPages.cc \
+  layFileDialog.cc \
+  layGenericSyntaxHighlighter.cc \
+  layHierarchyControlPanel.cc \
+  layIndexedNetlistModel.cc \
+  layItemDelegates.cc \
+  layLayerControlPanel.cc \
+  layLayerMappingWidget.cc \
+  layLayerToolbox.cc \
+  layLayerTreeModel.cc \
+  layLayoutPropertiesForm.cc \
+  layLayoutStatisticsForm.cc \
+  layLayoutViewConfigPages.cc \
+  layLayoutViewFunctions.cc \
+  layLibrariesView.cc \
+  layLoadLayoutOptionsDialog.cc \
+  layNetExportDialog.cc \
+  layNetInfoDialog.cc \
+  layNetlistBrowser.cc \
+  layNetlistBrowserDialog.cc \
+  layNetlistBrowserModel.cc \
+  layNetlistBrowserPage.cc \
+  layNetlistBrowserTreeModel.cc \
+  layNetlistCrossReferenceModel.cc \
+  layQtTools.cc \
+  laySaveLayoutOptionsDialog.cc \
+  laySelectCellViewForm.cc \
+  laySelectLineStyleForm.cc \
+  laySelectStippleForm.cc \
+  layTechnology.cc \
+  layTipDialog.cc \
+  layWidgets.cc \
+  rdbInfoWidget.cc \
+  rdbMarkerBrowser.cc \
+  rdbMarkerBrowserDialog.cc \
+  rdbMarkerBrowserPage.cc \
 
 HEADERS = \
-    layBackgroundAwareTreeStyle.h \
-    layBookmarkManagementForm.h \
-    layBookmarksView.h \
-    layBrowseInstancesForm.h \
-    layBrowseShapesForm.h \
-    layBrowser.h \
-    layBrowserDialog.h \
-    layBrowserPanel.h \
-    layBusy.h \
-    layCellSelectionForm.h \
-    layCellTreeModel.h \
-    layConfigurationDialog.h \
-    layDialogs.h \
-    layEditLineStyleWidget.h \
-    layEditLineStylesForm.h \
-    layEditStippleWidget.h \
-    layEditStipplesForm.h \
-    layEditorOptionsFrame.h \
-    layEditorOptionsPage.h \
-    layEditorOptionsPages.h \
-    layFileDialog.h \
-    layGenericSyntaxHighlighter.h \
-    layHierarchyControlPanel.h \
-    layIndexedNetlistModel.h \
-    layItemDelegates.h \
-    layLayerControlPanel.h \
-    layLayerMappingWidget.h \
-    layLayerToolbox.h \
-    layLayerTreeModel.h \
-    layLayoutPropertiesForm.h \
-    layLayoutStatisticsForm.h \
-    layLayoutViewConfigPages.h \
-    layLayoutViewFunctions.h \
-    layLibrariesView.h \
-    layLoadLayoutOptionsDialog.h \
-    layNetExportDialog.h \
-    layNetInfoDialog.h \
-    layNetlistBrowser.h \
-    layNetlistBrowserDialog.h \
-    layNetlistBrowserModel.h \
-    layNetlistBrowserPage.h \
-    layNetlistBrowserTreeModel.h \
-    layNetlistCrossReferenceModel.h \
-    layQtTools.h \
-    laySaveLayoutOptionsDialog.h \
-    laySelectCellViewForm.h \
-    laySelectLineStyleForm.h \
-    laySelectStippleForm.h \
-    layTechnology.h \
-    layTipDialog.h \
-    layWidgets.h \
-    rdbInfoWidget.h \
-    rdbMarkerBrowser.h \
-    rdbMarkerBrowserDialog.h \
-    rdbMarkerBrowserPage.h \
+  layuiForceLink.h \
+  layBackgroundAwareTreeStyle.h \
+  layBookmarkManagementForm.h \
+  layBookmarksView.h \
+  layBrowseInstancesForm.h \
+  layBrowseShapesForm.h \
+  layBrowser.h \
+  layBrowserDialog.h \
+  layBrowserPanel.h \
+  layBusy.h \
+  layCellSelectionForm.h \
+  layCellTreeModel.h \
+  layConfigurationDialog.h \
+  layDialogs.h \
+  layEditLineStyleWidget.h \
+  layEditLineStylesForm.h \
+  layEditStippleWidget.h \
+  layEditStipplesForm.h \
+  layEditorOptionsFrame.h \
+  layEditorOptionsPage.h \
+  layEditorOptionsPages.h \
+  layFileDialog.h \
+  layGenericSyntaxHighlighter.h \
+  layHierarchyControlPanel.h \
+  layIndexedNetlistModel.h \
+  layItemDelegates.h \
+  layLayerControlPanel.h \
+  layLayerMappingWidget.h \
+  layLayerToolbox.h \
+  layLayerTreeModel.h \
+  layLayoutPropertiesForm.h \
+  layLayoutStatisticsForm.h \
+  layLayoutViewConfigPages.h \
+  layLayoutViewFunctions.h \
+  layLibrariesView.h \
+  layLoadLayoutOptionsDialog.h \
+  layNetExportDialog.h \
+  layNetInfoDialog.h \
+  layNetlistBrowser.h \
+  layNetlistBrowserDialog.h \
+  layNetlistBrowserModel.h \
+  layNetlistBrowserPage.h \
+  layNetlistBrowserTreeModel.h \
+  layNetlistCrossReferenceModel.h \
+  layQtTools.h \
+  laySaveLayoutOptionsDialog.h \
+  laySelectCellViewForm.h \
+  laySelectLineStyleForm.h \
+  laySelectStippleForm.h \
+  layTechnology.h \
+  layTipDialog.h \
+  layWidgets.h \
+  rdbInfoWidget.h \
+  rdbMarkerBrowser.h \
+  rdbMarkerBrowserDialog.h \
+  rdbMarkerBrowserPage.h \
 
 INCLUDEPATH += $$LAYBASIC_INC $$TL_INC $$GSI_INC $$DB_INC $$RDB_INC
 DEPENDPATH += $$LAYBASIC_INC $$TL_INC $$GSI_INC $$DB_INC $$RDB_INC
diff --git a/src/layui/layui/layuiForceLink.cc b/src/layui/layui/layuiForceLink.cc
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..488f478f9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/layui/layui/layuiForceLink.cc
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+
+/*
+
+  KLayout Layout Viewer
+  Copyright (C) 2006-2022 Matthias Koefferlein
+
+  This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
+  it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+  the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or
+  (at your option) any later version.
+
+  This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+  but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+  MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+  GNU General Public License for more details.
+
+  You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+  along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software
+  Foundation, Inc., 51 Franklin St, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA  02110-1301  USA
+
+*/
+
+#include "layuiForceLink.h"
+
+namespace layui
+{
+  int _force_link_f ()
+  {
+    return 0;
+  }
+}
+
diff --git a/src/layui/layui/layuiForceLink.h b/src/layui/layui/layuiForceLink.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..86ed0eb11
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/layui/layui/layuiForceLink.h
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+
+/*
+
+  KLayout Layout Viewer
+  Copyright (C) 2006-2022 Matthias Koefferlein
+
+  This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
+  it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+  the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or
+  (at your option) any later version.
+
+  This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+  but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+  MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+  GNU General Public License for more details.
+
+  You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+  along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software
+  Foundation, Inc., 51 Franklin St, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA  02110-1301  USA
+
+*/
+
+
+#ifndef HDR_layuiForceLink
+#define HDR_layuiForceLink
+
+#include "layuiCommon.h"
+
+/**
+ *  @file Include this function to force linking of the layui module
+ */
+
+namespace layui
+{
+  LAYUI_PUBLIC int _force_link_f ();
+  static int _force_link_target = _force_link_f ();
+}
+
+#endif
+
diff --git a/src/layview/layview/layview.pro b/src/layview/layview/layview.pro
index ed2df8454..30d92982f 100644
--- a/src/layview/layview/layview.pro
+++ b/src/layview/layview/layview.pro
@@ -10,10 +10,12 @@ RESOURCES = \
 
 SOURCES = \
   layGridNet.cc \
+  layviewForceLink.cc \
 
 HEADERS = \
   layGridNet.h \
   layLayoutView.h \
+  layviewForceLink.h \
 
 !equals(HAVE_QT, "0") {
 
diff --git a/src/layview/layview/layviewForceLink.cc b/src/layview/layview/layviewForceLink.cc
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..400307cba
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/layview/layview/layviewForceLink.cc
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+
+/*
+
+  KLayout Layout Viewer
+  Copyright (C) 2006-2022 Matthias Koefferlein
+
+  This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
+  it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+  the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or
+  (at your option) any later version.
+
+  This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+  but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+  MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+  GNU General Public License for more details.
+
+  You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+  along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software
+  Foundation, Inc., 51 Franklin St, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA  02110-1301  USA
+
+*/
+
+#include "layviewForceLink.h"
+
+namespace layview
+{
+  int _force_link_f ()
+  {
+    return 0;
+  }
+}
+
diff --git a/src/layview/layview/layviewForceLink.h b/src/layview/layview/layviewForceLink.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f7cdf749d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/layview/layview/layviewForceLink.h
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+
+/*
+
+  KLayout Layout Viewer
+  Copyright (C) 2006-2022 Matthias Koefferlein
+
+  This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
+  it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+  the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or
+  (at your option) any later version.
+
+  This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+  but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+  MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+  GNU General Public License for more details.
+
+  You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+  along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software
+  Foundation, Inc., 51 Franklin St, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA  02110-1301  USA
+
+*/
+
+
+#ifndef HDR_layviewForceLink
+#define HDR_layviewForceLink
+
+#include "layviewCommon.h"
+
+/**
+ *  @file Include this function to force linking of the layview module
+ */
+
+namespace layview
+{
+  LAYVIEW_PUBLIC int _force_link_f ();
+  static int _force_link_target = _force_link_f ();
+}
+
+#endif
+
diff --git a/src/pymod/lay/layMain.cc b/src/pymod/lay/layMain.cc
index 0547098ca..f952ea9bb 100644
--- a/src/pymod/lay/layMain.cc
+++ b/src/pymod/lay/layMain.cc
@@ -22,14 +22,8 @@
 
 #include "../pymodHelper.h"
 
-#if defined(HAVE_QT)
-//  to force linking of the lay module
-#  include "../../lay/lay/layForceLink.h"
-#else
-//  to force linking of the laybasic module
-//  NOTE: without Qt we can only utilize the core view classes from laybasic
-#  include "../../laybasic/laybasic/laybasicForceLink.h"
-#endif
+//  to force linking of the layview module
+#  include "../../layview/layview/layviewForceLink.h"
 
 //  Force-include other dependencies
 //  NOTE: these libraries contribute to the "lay" module space. Hence we have to include them.