diff --git a/mesonbuild/compilers/c.py b/mesonbuild/compilers/c.py
index 2bff42b1d..a478c7961 100644
--- a/mesonbuild/compilers/c.py
+++ b/mesonbuild/compilers/c.py
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ class CCompiler(CLikeCompiler, Compiler):
         return ['-nostdinc']
 
     def _sanity_check_source_code(self) -> str:
-        return 'int main(void) { int class=0; return class; }\n'
+        return '#include <stddef.h>\nint main(void) { int class=0; return class; }\n'
 
     def has_header_symbol(self, hname: str, symbol: str, prefix: str, *,
                           extra_args: T.Union[None, T.List[str], T.Callable[['CompileCheckMode'], T.List[str]]] = None,
diff --git a/mesonbuild/compilers/compilers.py b/mesonbuild/compilers/compilers.py
index 2652a7f5e..deafa3eea 100644
--- a/mesonbuild/compilers/compilers.py
+++ b/mesonbuild/compilers/compilers.py
@@ -1366,7 +1366,9 @@ class Compiler(HoldableObject, metaclass=abc.ABCMeta):
         :return: a tuple of arguments, the first is the executable and compiler
             arguments, the second is linker arguments
         """
-        return self.exelist_no_ccache + self.get_always_args() + self.get_output_args(binname) + [sourcename], []
+        cargs = list(self.environment.coredata.get_external_args(self.for_machine, self.language))
+        largs = list(self.environment.coredata.get_external_link_args(self.for_machine, self.language))
+        return self.exelist_no_ccache + self.get_always_args() + self.get_output_args(binname) + [sourcename] + cargs, largs
 
     @abc.abstractmethod
     def _sanity_check_source_code(self) -> str:
diff --git a/mesonbuild/compilers/cpp.py b/mesonbuild/compilers/cpp.py
index 21614f2c9..7718f5017 100644
--- a/mesonbuild/compilers/cpp.py
+++ b/mesonbuild/compilers/cpp.py
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ class CPPCompiler(CLikeCompiler, Compiler):
         return []
 
     def _sanity_check_source_code(self) -> str:
-        return 'class breakCCompiler;int main(void) { return 0; }\n'
+        return '#include <stddef.h>\nclass breakCCompiler;int main(void) { return 0; }\n'
 
     def get_compiler_check_args(self, mode: CompileCheckMode) -> T.List[str]:
         # -fpermissive allows non-conforming code to compile which is necessary