diff --git a/scripts/mkqtdecl_common/produce.rb b/scripts/mkqtdecl_common/produce.rb
index 92184b66c..3223f5e69 100755
--- a/scripts/mkqtdecl_common/produce.rb
+++ b/scripts/mkqtdecl_common/produce.rb
@@ -3058,7 +3058,7 @@ END
       src.puts("")
       src.puts("#include \"tlDefs.h\"")
       src.puts("")
-      src.puts("#define FORCE_LINK_GSI_#{modn.upcase} static void force_link_gsi#{modn}_f () { extern int force_link_gsi#{modn}; force_link_gsi#{modn} = 0; }")
+      src.puts("#define FORCE_LINK_GSI_#{modn.upcase} void force_link_gsi#{modn}_f () { extern int force_link_gsi#{modn}; force_link_gsi#{modn} = 0; }")
       src.puts("")
       src.puts("#if !defined(HDR_gsi#{modn}Common_h)")
       src.puts("# define HDR_gsi#{modn}Common_h")
@@ -3096,7 +3096,9 @@ END
       src.puts(" */")
 
       src.puts("")
-      src.puts("int force_link_gsi#{modn} = 0;")
+      src.puts("#include \"gsi#{modn}Common.h\"")
+      src.puts("")
+      src.puts("GSI_#{modn.upcase}_PUBLIC int force_link_gsi#{modn} = 0;")
       src.puts("")
 
       puts("#{src_name} written.")
diff --git a/src/gsiqt/qt4/QtCore/gsiQtCoreCommon.h b/src/gsiqt/qt4/QtCore/gsiQtCoreCommon.h
index 142110d43..dfc326514 100644
--- a/src/gsiqt/qt4/QtCore/gsiQtCoreCommon.h
+++ b/src/gsiqt/qt4/QtCore/gsiQtCoreCommon.h
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 
 #include "tlDefs.h"
 
-#define FORCE_LINK_GSI_QTCORE static void force_link_gsiQtCore_f () { extern int force_link_gsiQtCore; force_link_gsiQtCore = 0; }
+#define FORCE_LINK_GSI_QTCORE void force_link_gsiQtCore_f () { extern int force_link_gsiQtCore; force_link_gsiQtCore = 0; }
 
 #if !defined(HDR_gsiQtCoreCommon_h)
 # define HDR_gsiQtCoreCommon_h
diff --git a/src/gsiqt/qt4/QtCore/gsiQtCoreMain.cc b/src/gsiqt/qt4/QtCore/gsiQtCoreMain.cc
index 08789cb86..d1b4d6a99 100644
--- a/src/gsiqt/qt4/QtCore/gsiQtCoreMain.cc
+++ b/src/gsiqt/qt4/QtCore/gsiQtCoreMain.cc
@@ -5,5 +5,7 @@
  *  This file has been created automatically
  */
 
-int force_link_gsiQtCore = 0;
+#include "gsiQtCoreCommon.h"
+
+GSI_QTCORE_PUBLIC int force_link_gsiQtCore = 0;
 
diff --git a/src/gsiqt/qt4/QtDesigner/gsiQtDesignerCommon.h b/src/gsiqt/qt4/QtDesigner/gsiQtDesignerCommon.h
index 60f0d7159..7a47ef222 100644
--- a/src/gsiqt/qt4/QtDesigner/gsiQtDesignerCommon.h
+++ b/src/gsiqt/qt4/QtDesigner/gsiQtDesignerCommon.h
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 
 #include "tlDefs.h"
 
-#define FORCE_LINK_GSI_QTDESIGNER static void force_link_gsiQtDesigner_f () { extern int force_link_gsiQtDesigner; force_link_gsiQtDesigner = 0; }
+#define FORCE_LINK_GSI_QTDESIGNER void force_link_gsiQtDesigner_f () { extern int force_link_gsiQtDesigner; force_link_gsiQtDesigner = 0; }
 
 #if !defined(HDR_gsiQtDesignerCommon_h)
 # define HDR_gsiQtDesignerCommon_h
diff --git a/src/gsiqt/qt4/QtDesigner/gsiQtDesignerMain.cc b/src/gsiqt/qt4/QtDesigner/gsiQtDesignerMain.cc
index 46290de22..1b05bb59e 100644
--- a/src/gsiqt/qt4/QtDesigner/gsiQtDesignerMain.cc
+++ b/src/gsiqt/qt4/QtDesigner/gsiQtDesignerMain.cc
@@ -5,5 +5,7 @@
  *  This file has been created automatically
  */
 
-int force_link_gsiQtDesigner = 0;
+#include "gsiQtDesignerCommon.h"
+
+GSI_QTDESIGNER_PUBLIC int force_link_gsiQtDesigner = 0;
 
diff --git a/src/gsiqt/qt4/QtGui/gsiQtGuiCommon.h b/src/gsiqt/qt4/QtGui/gsiQtGuiCommon.h
index afcc1751a..71f38c420 100644
--- a/src/gsiqt/qt4/QtGui/gsiQtGuiCommon.h
+++ b/src/gsiqt/qt4/QtGui/gsiQtGuiCommon.h
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 
 #include "tlDefs.h"
 
-#define FORCE_LINK_GSI_QTGUI static void force_link_gsiQtGui_f () { extern int force_link_gsiQtGui; force_link_gsiQtGui = 0; }
+#define FORCE_LINK_GSI_QTGUI void force_link_gsiQtGui_f () { extern int force_link_gsiQtGui; force_link_gsiQtGui = 0; }
 
 #if !defined(HDR_gsiQtGuiCommon_h)
 # define HDR_gsiQtGuiCommon_h
diff --git a/src/gsiqt/qt4/QtGui/gsiQtGuiMain.cc b/src/gsiqt/qt4/QtGui/gsiQtGuiMain.cc
index 1a88324a8..248f08a53 100644
--- a/src/gsiqt/qt4/QtGui/gsiQtGuiMain.cc
+++ b/src/gsiqt/qt4/QtGui/gsiQtGuiMain.cc
@@ -5,5 +5,7 @@
  *  This file has been created automatically
  */
 
-int force_link_gsiQtGui = 0;
+#include "gsiQtGuiCommon.h"
+
+GSI_QTGUI_PUBLIC int force_link_gsiQtGui = 0;
 
diff --git a/src/gsiqt/qt4/QtNetwork/gsiQtNetworkCommon.h b/src/gsiqt/qt4/QtNetwork/gsiQtNetworkCommon.h
index 37c6920d0..84974270d 100644
--- a/src/gsiqt/qt4/QtNetwork/gsiQtNetworkCommon.h
+++ b/src/gsiqt/qt4/QtNetwork/gsiQtNetworkCommon.h
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 
 #include "tlDefs.h"
 
-#define FORCE_LINK_GSI_QTNETWORK static void force_link_gsiQtNetwork_f () { extern int force_link_gsiQtNetwork; force_link_gsiQtNetwork = 0; }
+#define FORCE_LINK_GSI_QTNETWORK void force_link_gsiQtNetwork_f () { extern int force_link_gsiQtNetwork; force_link_gsiQtNetwork = 0; }
 
 #if !defined(HDR_gsiQtNetworkCommon_h)
 # define HDR_gsiQtNetworkCommon_h
diff --git a/src/gsiqt/qt4/QtNetwork/gsiQtNetworkMain.cc b/src/gsiqt/qt4/QtNetwork/gsiQtNetworkMain.cc
index c7b1a73c6..e6f5fa16b 100644
--- a/src/gsiqt/qt4/QtNetwork/gsiQtNetworkMain.cc
+++ b/src/gsiqt/qt4/QtNetwork/gsiQtNetworkMain.cc
@@ -5,5 +5,7 @@
  *  This file has been created automatically
  */
 
-int force_link_gsiQtNetwork = 0;
+#include "gsiQtNetworkCommon.h"
+
+GSI_QTNETWORK_PUBLIC int force_link_gsiQtNetwork = 0;
 
diff --git a/src/gsiqt/qt4/QtSql/gsiQtSqlCommon.h b/src/gsiqt/qt4/QtSql/gsiQtSqlCommon.h
index 807007a07..a5fb061ee 100644
--- a/src/gsiqt/qt4/QtSql/gsiQtSqlCommon.h
+++ b/src/gsiqt/qt4/QtSql/gsiQtSqlCommon.h
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 
 #include "tlDefs.h"
 
-#define FORCE_LINK_GSI_QTSQL static void force_link_gsiQtSql_f () { extern int force_link_gsiQtSql; force_link_gsiQtSql = 0; }
+#define FORCE_LINK_GSI_QTSQL void force_link_gsiQtSql_f () { extern int force_link_gsiQtSql; force_link_gsiQtSql = 0; }
 
 #if !defined(HDR_gsiQtSqlCommon_h)
 # define HDR_gsiQtSqlCommon_h
diff --git a/src/gsiqt/qt4/QtSql/gsiQtSqlMain.cc b/src/gsiqt/qt4/QtSql/gsiQtSqlMain.cc
index 9216876c2..e22bb8c3b 100644
--- a/src/gsiqt/qt4/QtSql/gsiQtSqlMain.cc
+++ b/src/gsiqt/qt4/QtSql/gsiQtSqlMain.cc
@@ -5,5 +5,7 @@
  *  This file has been created automatically
  */
 
-int force_link_gsiQtSql = 0;
+#include "gsiQtSqlCommon.h"
+
+GSI_QTSQL_PUBLIC int force_link_gsiQtSql = 0;
 
diff --git a/src/gsiqt/qt4/QtXml/gsiQtXmlCommon.h b/src/gsiqt/qt4/QtXml/gsiQtXmlCommon.h
index e4621d49f..340421880 100644
--- a/src/gsiqt/qt4/QtXml/gsiQtXmlCommon.h
+++ b/src/gsiqt/qt4/QtXml/gsiQtXmlCommon.h
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 
 #include "tlDefs.h"
 
-#define FORCE_LINK_GSI_QTXML static void force_link_gsiQtXml_f () { extern int force_link_gsiQtXml; force_link_gsiQtXml = 0; }
+#define FORCE_LINK_GSI_QTXML void force_link_gsiQtXml_f () { extern int force_link_gsiQtXml; force_link_gsiQtXml = 0; }
 
 #if !defined(HDR_gsiQtXmlCommon_h)
 # define HDR_gsiQtXmlCommon_h
diff --git a/src/gsiqt/qt4/QtXml/gsiQtXmlMain.cc b/src/gsiqt/qt4/QtXml/gsiQtXmlMain.cc
index d1cb8b768..0bfb50c04 100644
--- a/src/gsiqt/qt4/QtXml/gsiQtXmlMain.cc
+++ b/src/gsiqt/qt4/QtXml/gsiQtXmlMain.cc
@@ -5,5 +5,7 @@
  *  This file has been created automatically
  */
 
-int force_link_gsiQtXml = 0;
+#include "gsiQtXmlCommon.h"
+
+GSI_QTXML_PUBLIC int force_link_gsiQtXml = 0;
 
diff --git a/src/lay/lay/gsiDeclLayApplication.cc b/src/lay/lay/gsiDeclLayApplication.cc
index 48a21a54d..cce04ffdf 100644
--- a/src/lay/lay/gsiDeclLayApplication.cc
+++ b/src/lay/lay/gsiDeclLayApplication.cc
@@ -25,9 +25,15 @@
 #include "laySignalHandler.h"
 #include "gsiDecl.h"
 #include "gsiQtGuiExternals.h"
+#include "gsiQtCoreExternals.h"
+#include "gsiQtXmlExternals.h"
 #include "tlArch.h"
 
+//  this is here *once*
+FORCE_LINK_GSI_QTCORE
 FORCE_LINK_GSI_QTGUI
+//  required because the GSI bindings use QDomDocument
+FORCE_LINK_GSI_QTXML
 
 namespace gsi
 {
diff --git a/src/lay/lay/gsiDeclLayHelpDialog.cc b/src/lay/lay/gsiDeclLayHelpDialog.cc
index c0c5f0d0d..f3d2fd429 100644
--- a/src/lay/lay/gsiDeclLayHelpDialog.cc
+++ b/src/lay/lay/gsiDeclLayHelpDialog.cc
@@ -28,8 +28,6 @@
 #include "gsiDecl.h"
 #include "gsiQtGuiExternals.h"
 
-FORCE_LINK_GSI_QTGUI
-
 namespace tl
 {
 
diff --git a/src/lay/lay/gsiDeclLayMainWindow.cc b/src/lay/lay/gsiDeclLayMainWindow.cc
index 62f1dfe87..f0d0c5646 100644
--- a/src/lay/lay/gsiDeclLayMainWindow.cc
+++ b/src/lay/lay/gsiDeclLayMainWindow.cc
@@ -20,14 +20,11 @@
 
 */
 
-
 #include "gsiDecl.h"
 #include "gsiSignals.h"
 #include "gsiQtGuiExternals.h"
 #include "layMainWindow.h"
 
-FORCE_LINK_GSI_QTGUI
-
 namespace gsi
 {
 
diff --git a/src/lay/lay/lay.pro b/src/lay/lay/lay.pro
index 68b10eea1..7a8f31e16 100644
--- a/src/lay/lay/lay.pro
+++ b/src/lay/lay/lay.pro
@@ -213,3 +213,6 @@ equals(HAVE_PYTHON, "1") {
   LIBS += -lklayout_pyastub
 }
 
+equals(HAVE_QTBINDINGS, "1") {
+  LIBS += -lklayout_qtbasic -lklayout_QtGui -lklayout_QtCore -lklayout_QtXml
+}