diff --git a/configure b/configure
index f3e68b2cedd1..5a4588e28862 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -1835,6 +1835,15 @@ psp)
 		echo "Please set PSPSDK in your environment. export PSPSDK=<path to psp sdk>"
 		exit 1
 	fi
+
+	# These have to be set early because the compiler will not link successfully
+	# during testing otherwise
+	if test -d "$PSPDEV/psp/lib"; then
+		append_var LDFLAGS "-L$PSPDEV/psp/lib"
+	fi
+	append_var LDFLAGS "-L$PSPSDK/lib"
+	append_var LDFLAGS "-specs=$_srcdir/backends/platform/psp/psp.spec"
+
 	;;
 riscos)
 	if test -z "$GCCSDK_INSTALL_ENV"; then
@@ -2865,12 +2874,6 @@ case $_host_os in
 		add_line_to_config_h "#define PREFIX \"${prefix}\""
 		;;
 	psp)
-		if test -d "$PSPDEV/psp/lib"; then
-			append_var LDFLAGS "-L$PSPDEV/psp/lib"
-		fi
-		append_var LDFLAGS "-L$PSPSDK/lib"
-		append_var LDFLAGS "-specs=$_srcdir/backends/platform/psp/psp.spec"
-		_optimization_level=-O3
 		append_var CXXFLAGS "-I$PSPSDK/include"
 		# FIXME: Why is the following in CXXFLAGS and not in DEFINES? Change or document this.
 		append_var CXXFLAGS "-D_PSP_FW_VERSION=150"