diff --git a/daemons/cmirrord/logging.h b/daemons/cmirrord/logging.h
index 3ede0c72c..13e6b3982 100644
--- a/daemons/cmirrord/logging.h
+++ b/daemons/cmirrord/logging.h
@@ -14,7 +14,6 @@
 #define _LVM_CLOG_LOGGING_H
 
 #define _GNU_SOURCE
-#define _FILE_OFFSET_BITS 64
 
 #include "configure.h"
 #include <stdio.h>
diff --git a/lib/misc/lib.h b/lib/misc/lib.h
index 8ed06f81d..d7fa5c721 100644
--- a/lib/misc/lib.h
+++ b/lib/misc/lib.h
@@ -23,7 +23,6 @@
 
 #define _REENTRANT
 #define _GNU_SOURCE
-#define _FILE_OFFSET_BITS 64
 
 /*
  * Symbol export control macros
diff --git a/make.tmpl.in b/make.tmpl.in
index 3a9f45059..d3a80ef0c 100644
--- a/make.tmpl.in
+++ b/make.tmpl.in
@@ -444,6 +444,9 @@ endif
 
 DEPFLAGS=-MT $@ -MMD -MP -MF $*.d
 
+# still needed in 2018 for 32bit builds
+DEFS+=-D_FILE_OFFSET_BITS=64
+
 %.o: %.c
 	@echo "    [CC] $<"
 	$(Q) $(CC) $(DEPFLAGS) -c $(INCLUDES) $(VALGRIND_CFLAGS) $(PROGS_CFLAGS) $(DEFS) $(DEFS_$@) $(WFLAGS) $(WCFLAGS) $(CFLAGS) $(CFLAGS_$@) $< -o $@
diff --git a/tools/tool.h b/tools/tool.h
index 79b30bc79..a2c857289 100644
--- a/tools/tool.h
+++ b/tools/tool.h
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@
 #define _LVM_TOOL_H
 
 #define _GNU_SOURCE
-#define _FILE_OFFSET_BITS 64
 
 #include "configure.h"