diff --git a/cogl/cogl-renderer.c b/cogl/cogl-renderer.c
index 8b76a77e9..be73adfe6 100644
--- a/cogl/cogl-renderer.c
+++ b/cogl/cogl-renderer.c
@@ -177,9 +177,6 @@ _cogl_renderer_choose_driver (CoglRenderer *renderer,
 {
   const char *driver_name = g_getenv ("COGL_DRIVER");
   const char *libgl_name;
-#ifndef HAVE_DIRECTLY_LINKED_GL_LIBRARY
-  char *libgl_module_path;
-#endif
 
 #ifdef HAVE_COGL_GL
   if (driver_name == NULL || !strcmp (driver_name, "gl"))
@@ -218,14 +215,9 @@ _cogl_renderer_choose_driver (CoglRenderer *renderer,
 
 #ifndef HAVE_DIRECTLY_LINKED_GL_LIBRARY
 
-  libgl_module_path = g_module_build_path (NULL, /* standard lib search path */
-                                           libgl_name);
-
-  renderer->libgl_module = g_module_open (libgl_module_path,
+  renderer->libgl_module = g_module_open (libgl_name,
                                           G_MODULE_BIND_LAZY);
 
-  g_free (libgl_module_path);
-
   if (renderer->libgl_module == NULL)
     {
       g_set_error (error, COGL_DRIVER_ERROR,
diff --git a/cogl/winsys/cogl-winsys-glx.c b/cogl/winsys/cogl-winsys-glx.c
index 17ac612ff..12d7a54a6 100644
--- a/cogl/winsys/cogl-winsys-glx.c
+++ b/cogl/winsys/cogl-winsys-glx.c
@@ -333,7 +333,6 @@ _cogl_winsys_renderer_connect (CoglRenderer *renderer,
 {
   CoglGLXRenderer *glx_renderer;
   CoglXlibRenderer *xlib_renderer;
-  char *libgl_module_path;
 
   renderer->winsys = g_slice_new0 (CoglGLXRenderer);
 
@@ -343,14 +342,9 @@ _cogl_winsys_renderer_connect (CoglRenderer *renderer,
   if (!_cogl_xlib_renderer_connect (renderer, error))
     goto error;
 
-  libgl_module_path = g_module_build_path (NULL, /* standard lib search path */
-                                           COGL_GL_LIBNAME);
-
-  glx_renderer->libgl_module = g_module_open (libgl_module_path,
+  glx_renderer->libgl_module = g_module_open (COGL_GL_LIBNAME,
                                               G_MODULE_BIND_LAZY);
 
-  g_free (libgl_module_path);
-
   if (glx_renderer->libgl_module == NULL)
     {
       g_set_error (error, COGL_WINSYS_ERROR,
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 716283823..a31d65fa8 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -387,7 +387,7 @@ AS_IF([test "x$enable_gles1" = "xyes"],
 
         PKG_CHECK_EXISTS([glesv1_cm],
           [COGL_PKG_REQUIRES_GL="$COGL_PKG_REQUIRES_GL glesv1_cm"
-           COGL_GLES1_LIBNAME="GLESv1_CM"
+           COGL_GLES1_LIBNAME="libGLESv1_CM.so"
            NEED_EGL=yes
           ],
           [
@@ -430,10 +430,10 @@ AS_IF([test "x$enable_gles1" = "xyes"],
             # bundles the GLES and EGL API together and -lGLESv1_CM
             # would be used for a standalone GLES API.
             AC_CHECK_LIB(GLES_CM, [eglInitialize],
-              [COGL_GLES1_LIBNAME="GLES_CM"],
+              [COGL_GLES1_LIBNAME="libGLES_CM.so"],
               [
                 AC_CHECK_LIB(GLESv1_CM, [glFlush],
-                  [COGL_GLES1_LIBNAME="GLESv1_CM"
+                  [COGL_GLES1_LIBNAME="libGLESv1_CM.so"
                    NEED_SEPARATE_EGL=yes
                   ],
                   [AC_MSG_ERROR([Unable to locate required GLES 1.x Common Profile library])])
@@ -463,7 +463,7 @@ AS_IF([test "x$enable_gles2" = "xyes"],
 
         PKG_CHECK_EXISTS([glesv2],
           [COGL_PKG_REQUIRES_GL="$COGL_PKG_REQUIRES_GL glesv2"
-           COGL_GLES2_LIBNAME="GLESv2"
+           COGL_GLES2_LIBNAME="libGLESv2.so"
           ],
           [
             # We have to check the two headers independently as GLES2/gl2ext.h
@@ -477,7 +477,7 @@ AS_IF([test "x$enable_gles2" = "xyes"],
                             [AC_MSG_ERROR([Unable to locate GLES2/gl2ext.h])],
                             [#include <GLES2/gl2.h>])
 
-            COGL_GLES2_LIBNAME="GLESv2"
+            COGL_GLES2_LIBNAME="libGLESv2.so"
           ])
 
         NEED_EGL=yes
@@ -527,7 +527,7 @@ AS_IF([test "x$enable_gl" = "xyes"],
 				,
 				[AC_MSG_ERROR([Unable to locate required GL library])])
 		  ])
-                COGL_GL_LIBNAME="GL"
+                COGL_GL_LIBNAME="libGL.so.1"
 	      ])
 
         AC_DEFINE([HAVE_COGL_GL], [1], [Have GL for rendering])