diff --git a/configure b/configure
index 32a3084c113..f54556d9428 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -2731,10 +2731,13 @@ case $_host_os in
 		# which will allow for calls larger than 32MB. The linker
 		# will discard the calls if they are not needed, but we
 		# need to ensure the compiler emits them in the first place.
+		# Also the executable has grown to a size where using -Os is necessary to avoid a
+		# 'virtual memory exhausted' error when running the executable.
 		case $_host_cpu in
 		powerpc*)
 			append_var CFLAGS "-mlongcall"
 			append_var CXXFLAGS "-mlongcall"
+			_optimization_level=-Os
 			;;
 		esac