diff --git a/gnu/packages/bdw-gc.scm b/gnu/packages/bdw-gc.scm
index 8eed98d1fd..acd0033d1e 100644
--- a/gnu/packages/bdw-gc.scm
+++ b/gnu/packages/bdw-gc.scm
@@ -114,8 +114,14 @@ (define-public libgc/static-libs
    (arguments
     (substitute-keyword-arguments (package-arguments libgc)
       ((#:configure-flags flags #~'())
-       #~(cons "--enable-static" #$flags))))
-
+       #~(cons "--enable-static" #$flags))
+      ((#:make-flags flags #~'())
+       (cond
+        ((target-aarch64?)
+         ;; This is a known workaround upstream.
+         ;; https://github.com/ivmai/bdwgc/issues/479
+         #~(list "CFLAGS_EXTRA=-DNO_MPROTECT_VDB"))
+        (else flags)))))
    (properties '((hidden? . #t)))))
 
 (define-public libgc-7
diff --git a/gnu/packages/make-bootstrap.scm b/gnu/packages/make-bootstrap.scm
index 63c84e93ef..0c513040d6 100644
--- a/gnu/packages/make-bootstrap.scm
+++ b/gnu/packages/make-bootstrap.scm
@@ -90,8 +90,11 @@ (define glibc-for-bootstrap
       ;; Make sure to build glibc with the same compiler version as the rest
       ;; of the bootstrap.  Otherwise it fails to statically link on aarch64.
       (native-inputs
-       `(("gcc" ,gcc-7)
-         ,@(package-native-inputs base)))
+       (if (target-aarch64?)
+           (modify-inputs (package-native-inputs base)
+             (replace "gcc" gcc-7))
+           `(("gcc" ,gcc-7)
+             ,@(package-native-inputs base))))
 
       ;; Remove the 'debug' output to allow bit-reproducible builds (when the
       ;; 'debug' output is used, ELF files end up with a .gnu_debuglink, which