diff --git a/libs/config/CMakeLists.txt b/libs/config/CMakeLists.txt
index 70ad7a369a2e..93926595f9f5 100644
--- a/libs/config/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/libs/config/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ set(config_headers
 
 # Default location is $HPX_ROOT/libs/config/src
 set(config_sources
+  force_linking.cpp
   version.cpp
 )
 
diff --git a/libs/config/src/force_linking.cpp b/libs/config/src/force_linking.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..cad025c9c275
--- /dev/null
+++ b/libs/config/src/force_linking.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+//  Copyright (c) 2019 The STE||AR GROUP
+//
+//  Distributed under the Boost Software License, Version 1.0. (See accompanying
+//  file LICENSE_1_0.txt or copy at http://www.boost.org/LICENSE_1_0.txt)
+
+#include <hpx/config/force_linking.hpp>
+#include <hpx/config/version.hpp>
+
+namespace hpx { namespace config
+{
+    // reference all symbols that have to be explicitly linked with the core
+    // library
+    void force_linking()
+    {
+        const char* const hpx_version = hpx::HPX_CHECK_VERSION;
+        const char* const boost_version = hpx::HPX_CHECK_BOOST_VERSION;
+        (void)hpx_version;
+        (void)boost_version;
+    }
+}}
+
diff --git a/libs/config/src/version.cpp b/libs/config/src/version.cpp
index e0f8fba3981d..88ef082a77df 100644
--- a/libs/config/src/version.cpp
+++ b/libs/config/src/version.cpp
@@ -18,9 +18,4 @@ namespace hpx
         HPX_PP_STRINGIZE(HPX_CHECK_VERSION);
     HPX_EXPORT char const HPX_CHECK_BOOST_VERSION[] =
         HPX_PP_STRINGIZE(HPX_CHECK_BOOST_VERSION);
-
-    namespace config
-    {
-        void force_linking() {}
-    }
 }