--- a/arch/um/Makefile-i386
+++ b/arch/um/Makefile-i386
@@ -39,4 +39,8 @@ KBUILD_CFLAGS += $(shell if [ $(call cc-
 			echo $(call cc-option,-fno-unit-at-a-time); \
 			else echo $(call cc-option,-funit-at-a-time); fi ;)
 
+# disable compile-time buffer checks, enabled by default on Ubuntu 8.10 
+# and later
+KBUILD_CFLAGS += $(call cc-option,-U_FORTIFY_SOURCE)
+
 KBUILD_CFLAGS += $(cflags-y)
