diff --git a/src/dune_rules/dune_env.ml b/src/dune_rules/dune_env.ml
index b2efc01a5662..73e9f0b8cb5f 100644
--- a/src/dune_rules/dune_env.ml
+++ b/src/dune_rules/dune_env.ml
@@ -15,13 +15,6 @@ module Stanza = struct
     and+ cxx = Ordered_set_lang.Unexpanded.field "cxx_flags" ?check in
     Foreign_language.Dict.make ~c ~cxx
 
-  let link_flags ~since =
-    let check =
-      Option.map since ~f:(fun since ->
-          Dune_lang.Syntax.since Stanza.syntax since)
-    in
-    Ordered_set_lang.Unexpanded.field "link_flags" ?check
-
   let menhir_flags ~since =
     let check =
       Option.map since ~f:(fun since ->
@@ -81,7 +74,7 @@ module Stanza = struct
   type config =
     { flags : Ocaml_flags.Spec.t
     ; foreign_flags : Ordered_set_lang.Unexpanded.t Foreign_language.Dict.t
-    ; link_flags : Ordered_set_lang.Unexpanded.t
+    ; link_flags : Link_flags.Spec.t
     ; env_vars : Env.t
     ; binaries : File_binding.Unexpanded.t list
     ; inline_tests : Inline_tests.t option
@@ -108,7 +101,7 @@ module Stanza = struct
     Ocaml_flags.Spec.equal flags t.flags
     && Foreign_language.Dict.equal Ordered_set_lang.Unexpanded.equal
          foreign_flags t.foreign_flags
-    && Ordered_set_lang.Unexpanded.equal link_flags t.link_flags
+    && Link_flags.Spec.equal link_flags t.link_flags
     && Env.equal env_vars t.env_vars
     && List.equal File_binding.Unexpanded.equal binaries t.binaries
     && Option.equal Inline_tests.equal inline_tests t.inline_tests
@@ -124,7 +117,7 @@ module Stanza = struct
     { flags = Ocaml_flags.Spec.standard
     ; foreign_flags =
         Foreign_language.Dict.make_both Ordered_set_lang.Unexpanded.standard
-    ; link_flags = Ordered_set_lang.Unexpanded.standard
+    ; link_flags = Link_flags.Spec.standard
     ; env_vars = Env.empty
     ; binaries = []
     ; inline_tests = None
@@ -192,7 +185,7 @@ module Stanza = struct
   let config =
     let+ flags = Ocaml_flags.Spec.decode
     and+ foreign_flags = foreign_flags ~since:(Some (1, 7))
-    and+ link_flags = link_flags ~since:(Some (3, 0))
+    and+ link_flags = Link_flags.Spec.decode ~since:(Some (3, 0))
     and+ env_vars = env_vars_field
     and+ binaries =
       field ~default:[] "binaries"
diff --git a/src/dune_rules/dune_env.mli b/src/dune_rules/dune_env.mli
index 6b111329dfde..0f059ca9f8d1 100644
--- a/src/dune_rules/dune_env.mli
+++ b/src/dune_rules/dune_env.mli
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ module Stanza : sig
   type config =
     { flags : Ocaml_flags.Spec.t
     ; foreign_flags : Ordered_set_lang.Unexpanded.t Foreign_language.Dict.t
-    ; link_flags : Ordered_set_lang.Unexpanded.t
+    ; link_flags : Link_flags.Spec.t
     ; env_vars : Env.t
     ; binaries : File_binding.Unexpanded.t list
     ; inline_tests : Inline_tests.t option
diff --git a/src/dune_rules/dune_file.ml b/src/dune_rules/dune_file.ml
index f0d636275a75..b53a71e2a98b 100644
--- a/src/dune_rules/dune_file.ml
+++ b/src/dune_rules/dune_file.ml
@@ -1381,7 +1381,7 @@ module Executables = struct
 
   type t =
     { names : (Loc.t * string) list
-    ; link_flags : Ordered_set_lang.Unexpanded.t
+    ; link_flags : Link_flags.Spec.t
     ; link_deps : Dep_conf.t list
     ; modes : Loc.t Link_mode.Map.t
     ; optional : bool
@@ -1411,7 +1411,7 @@ module Executables = struct
       field "link_executables" ~default:true
         (Dune_lang.Syntax.deleted_in Stanza.syntax (1, 0) >>> bool)
     and+ link_deps = field "link_deps" (repeat Dep_conf.decode) ~default:[]
-    and+ link_flags = Ordered_set_lang.Unexpanded.field "link_flags"
+    and+ link_flags = Link_flags.Spec.decode ~since:None
     and+ modes =
       field "modes" Link_mode.Map.decode
         ~default:(Link_mode.Map.default_for_exes ~version:dune_version)
@@ -1941,7 +1941,7 @@ module Tests = struct
        String_with_vars.add_user_vars_to_decoding_env (Bindings.var_names deps)
          (let* dune_version = Dune_lang.Syntax.get_exn Stanza.syntax in
           let+ buildable = Buildable.decode Executable
-          and+ link_flags = Ordered_set_lang.Unexpanded.field "link_flags"
+          and+ link_flags = Link_flags.Spec.decode ~since:None
           and+ names = names
           and+ package = field_o "package" Stanza_common.Pkg.decode
           and+ locks =
diff --git a/src/dune_rules/dune_file.mli b/src/dune_rules/dune_file.mli
index 5e7d23630e31..a31bd2f2766c 100644
--- a/src/dune_rules/dune_file.mli
+++ b/src/dune_rules/dune_file.mli
@@ -250,7 +250,7 @@ module Executables : sig
 
   type t =
     { names : (Loc.t * string) list
-    ; link_flags : Ordered_set_lang.Unexpanded.t
+    ; link_flags : Link_flags.Spec.t
     ; link_deps : Dep_conf.t list
     ; modes : Loc.t Link_mode.Map.t
     ; optional : bool
diff --git a/src/dune_rules/env_node.ml b/src/dune_rules/env_node.ml
index 15807f2513cc..faf782de4817 100644
--- a/src/dune_rules/env_node.ml
+++ b/src/dune_rules/env_node.ml
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ type t =
   ; local_binaries : File_binding.Expanded.t list Memo.Lazy.t
   ; ocaml_flags : Ocaml_flags.t Memo.Lazy.t
   ; foreign_flags : string list Action_builder.t Foreign_language.Dict.t
-  ; link_flags : string list Action_builder.t Memo.Lazy.t
+  ; link_flags : Link_flags.t Memo.Lazy.t
   ; external_env : Env.t Memo.Lazy.t
   ; bin_artifacts : Artifacts.Bin.t Memo.Lazy.t
   ; inline_tests : Dune_env.Stanza.Inline_tests.t Memo.Lazy.t
@@ -37,8 +37,7 @@ let ocaml_flags t = Memo.Lazy.force t.ocaml_flags
 
 let foreign_flags t = t.foreign_flags
 
-let link_flags t =
-  Memo.Lazy.force t.link_flags |> Action_builder.memo_build_join
+let link_flags t = Memo.Lazy.force t.link_flags
 
 let external_env t = Memo.Lazy.force t.external_env
 
@@ -62,7 +61,7 @@ let coq t = Memo.Lazy.force t.coq
 
 let make ~dir ~inherit_from ~scope ~config_stanza ~profile ~expander
     ~expander_for_artifacts ~default_context_flags ~default_env
-    ~default_bin_artifacts =
+    ~default_bin_artifacts ~default_cxx_link_flags =
   let open Memo.Build.O in
   let config = Dune_env.Stanza.find config_stanza ~profile in
   let inherited ~field ~root extend =
@@ -172,13 +171,12 @@ let make ~dir ~inherit_from ~scope ~config_stanza ~profile ~expander
     Foreign_language.Dict.make ~c:(foreign_flags C) ~cxx:(foreign_flags Cxx)
   in
   let link_flags =
-    inherited
-      ~field:(fun t -> Memo.Build.return (link_flags t))
-      ~root:(Action_builder.return [])
-      (fun flags ->
+    let default_link_flags = Link_flags.default ~default_cxx_link_flags in
+    inherited ~field:link_flags ~root:default_link_flags (fun link_flags ->
         let+ expander = Memo.Lazy.force expander in
         let expander = Expander.set_dir expander ~dir in
-        Expander.expand_and_eval_set expander config.link_flags ~standard:flags)
+        Link_flags.make ~spec:config.link_flags ~default:link_flags
+          ~eval:(Expander.expand_and_eval_set expander))
   in
   let menhir_flags =
     inherited
diff --git a/src/dune_rules/env_node.mli b/src/dune_rules/env_node.mli
index 0fa2827c61b7..664640ea2de4 100644
--- a/src/dune_rules/env_node.mli
+++ b/src/dune_rules/env_node.mli
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ val make :
   -> default_context_flags:string list Action_builder.t Foreign_language.Dict.t
   -> default_env:Env.t
   -> default_bin_artifacts:Artifacts.Bin.t
+  -> default_cxx_link_flags:string list Action_builder.t
   -> t
 
 val scope : t -> Scope.t
@@ -43,7 +44,7 @@ val js_of_ocaml :
 
 val foreign_flags : t -> string list Action_builder.t Foreign_language.Dict.t
 
-val link_flags : t -> string list Action_builder.t
+val link_flags : t -> Link_flags.t Memo.Build.t
 
 val local_binaries : t -> File_binding.Expanded.t list Memo.Build.t
 
diff --git a/src/dune_rules/exe_rules.ml b/src/dune_rules/exe_rules.ml
index fec68be271d2..bf244d8bc09d 100644
--- a/src/dune_rules/exe_rules.ml
+++ b/src/dune_rules/exe_rules.ml
@@ -180,8 +180,12 @@ let executables_rules ~sctx ~dir ~expander ~dir_contents ~scope ~compile_info
       in
       let open Action_builder.O in
       let link_flags =
-        link_deps
-        >>> Super_context.link_flags sctx ~dir ~expander ~use_standard_cxx_flags ~flags:exes.link_flags
+        let* () = link_deps in
+        let* link_flags =
+          Action_builder.memo_build
+            (Super_context.link_flags sctx ~dir exes.link_flags)
+        in
+        Link_flags.get ~use_standard_cxx_flags link_flags
       in
       let+ flags = link_flags
       and+ ctypes_cclib_flags =
diff --git a/src/dune_rules/link_flags.ml b/src/dune_rules/link_flags.ml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..eb57fe1bc9e0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/dune_rules/link_flags.ml
@@ -0,0 +1,61 @@
+open! Dune_engine
+open! Stdune
+open Import
+open Action_builder.O
+
+(* flags are duplicated because we want to have two sets of default (:standard)
+   flags. [link_flags_cxx] will be used for executable with foreign_cxx when
+   [use_standard_cxx_flags] is true *)
+type 'a t' =
+  { link_flags : 'a
+  ; link_flags_cxx : 'a
+  }
+
+module Spec = struct
+  type t = Ordered_set_lang.Unexpanded.t t'
+
+  let standard =
+    let standard = Ordered_set_lang.Unexpanded.standard in
+    { link_flags = standard; link_flags_cxx = standard }
+
+  let decode ~since =
+    let open Dune_lang.Decoder in
+    let check =
+      Option.map since ~f:(fun since ->
+          Dune_lang.Syntax.since Stanza.syntax since)
+    in
+    let+ flags = Ordered_set_lang.Unexpanded.field "link_flags" ?check in
+    { link_flags = flags; link_flags_cxx = flags }
+
+  let equal { link_flags; link_flags_cxx } t =
+    Ordered_set_lang.Unexpanded.equal link_flags t.link_flags
+    && Ordered_set_lang.Unexpanded.equal link_flags_cxx t.link_flags_cxx
+end
+
+type t = string list Action_builder.t t'
+
+let default ~default_cxx_link_flags =
+  let link_flags_cxx =
+    let+ flags = default_cxx_link_flags in
+    List.concat_map flags ~f:(fun f -> [ "-cclib"; f ])
+  in
+  { link_flags = Action_builder.return []; link_flags_cxx }
+
+let make ~spec ~default ~eval =
+  let f name x standard = Action_builder.memoize name (eval x ~standard) in
+  { link_flags = f "link flags" spec.link_flags default.link_flags
+  ; link_flags_cxx =
+      f "link flags cxx" spec.link_flags_cxx default.link_flags_cxx
+  }
+
+let get ~use_standard_cxx_flags (t : t) =
+  if use_standard_cxx_flags then
+    t.link_flags_cxx
+  else
+    t.link_flags
+
+let dump t =
+  let+ link_flags = t.link_flags in
+  List.map
+    ~f:Dune_lang.Encoder.(pair string (list string))
+    [ ("link_flags", link_flags) ]
diff --git a/src/dune_rules/link_flags.mli b/src/dune_rules/link_flags.mli
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..6f5c7b6b292a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/dune_rules/link_flags.mli
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+(** OCaml flags *)
+open! Dune_engine
+
+open! Stdune
+
+type t
+
+module Spec : sig
+  type t
+
+  val equal : t -> t -> bool
+
+  val decode :
+    since:Dune_lang.Syntax.Version.t option -> t Dune_lang.Decoder.fields_parser
+
+  val standard : t
+end
+
+val make :
+     spec:Spec.t
+  -> default:t
+  -> eval:
+       (   Ordered_set_lang.Unexpanded.t
+        -> standard:string list Action_builder.t
+        -> string list Action_builder.t)
+  -> t
+
+val default : default_cxx_link_flags:string list Action_builder.t -> t
+
+val get : use_standard_cxx_flags:bool -> t -> string list Action_builder.t
+
+val dump : t -> Dune_lang.t list Action_builder.t
diff --git a/src/dune_rules/super_context.ml b/src/dune_rules/super_context.ml
index 2021199100b2..94abcca7b47c 100644
--- a/src/dune_rules/super_context.ml
+++ b/src/dune_rules/super_context.ml
@@ -145,10 +145,11 @@ end = struct
           in
           extend_expander t ~dir ~expander_for_artifacts)
     in
+    let default_cxx_link_flags = Cxx_flags.get_flags ~for_:Link t.context in
     Env_node.make ~dir ~scope ~config_stanza ~inherit_from:(Some inherit_from)
       ~profile:t.context.profile ~expander ~expander_for_artifacts
       ~default_context_flags ~default_env:t.context_env
-      ~default_bin_artifacts:t.bin_artifacts
+      ~default_bin_artifacts:t.bin_artifacts ~default_cxx_link_flags
 
   (* Here we jump through some hoops to construct [t] as well as create a
      memoization table that has access to [t] and is used in [t.get_node].
@@ -402,22 +403,11 @@ let foreign_flags t ~dir ~expander ~flags ~language =
   in
   Action_builder.memoize (sprintf "%s flags" name) flags
 
-let link_flags t ~dir ~expander ~use_standard_cxx_flags ~flags =
-  let env_tree = t.env_tree in
-  let default =
-    get_node env_tree ~dir >>| Env_node.link_flags |> Action_builder.memo_build_join
-  in
-  let default =
-    if use_standard_cxx_flags
-    then 
-      let open Action_builder.O in
-      let+ default = default
-      and+ flags = Cxx_flags.get_flags ~for_:Link (context t) in
-      default @ List.concat_map flags ~f:(fun f -> [ "-cclib"; f ])
-    else default 
-  in
-  Action_builder.memoize "link flags"
-    (Expander.expand_and_eval_set expander flags ~standard:default)
+let link_flags t ~dir (spec : Link_flags.Spec.t) =
+  let* expander = Env_tree.expander t.env_tree ~dir in
+  let+ link_flags = get_node t.env_tree ~dir >>= Env_node.link_flags in
+  Link_flags.make ~spec ~default:link_flags
+    ~eval:(Expander.expand_and_eval_set expander)
 
 let menhir_flags t ~dir ~expander ~flags =
   let t = t.env_tree in
@@ -439,7 +429,7 @@ let dump_env t ~dir =
   let t = t.env_tree in
   let ocaml_flags = get_node t ~dir >>= Env_node.ocaml_flags in
   let foreign_flags = get_node t ~dir >>| Env_node.foreign_flags in
-  let link_flags = get_node t ~dir >>| Env_node.link_flags in
+  let link_flags = get_node t ~dir >>= Env_node.link_flags in
   let menhir_flags = get_node t ~dir >>| Env_node.menhir_flags in
   let coq_flags = get_node t ~dir >>= Env_node.coq in
   let js_of_ocaml = get_node t ~dir >>= Env_node.js_of_ocaml in
@@ -455,9 +445,8 @@ let dump_env t ~dir =
       ~f:Dune_lang.Encoder.(pair string (list string))
       [ ("c_flags", c_flags); ("cxx_flags", cxx_flags) ]
   and+ link_flags_dump =
-    let+ flags = Action_builder.memo_build_join link_flags in
-    [ ("link_flags", flags) ]
-    |> List.map ~f:Dune_lang.Encoder.(pair string (list string))
+    let* link_flags = Action_builder.memo_build link_flags in
+    Link_flags.dump link_flags
   and+ menhir_dump =
     let+ flags = Action_builder.memo_build_join menhir_flags in
     [ ("menhir_flags", flags) ]
@@ -723,11 +712,12 @@ let create ~(context : Context.t) ~host ~projects ~packages ~stanzas =
                 Code_error.raise
                   "[expander_for_artifacts] in [default_env] is undefined" [])
           in
+          let default_cxx_link_flags = Cxx_flags.get_flags ~for_:Link context in
           let expander = Memo.Lazy.of_val root_expander in
           Env_node.make ~dir ~scope ~inherit_from ~config_stanza
             ~profile:context.profile ~expander ~expander_for_artifacts
             ~default_context_flags ~default_env:context_env
-            ~default_bin_artifacts:artifacts.bin
+            ~default_bin_artifacts:artifacts.bin ~default_cxx_link_flags
         in
         Memo.Build.return
           (make ~config_stanza:context.env_nodes.context
diff --git a/src/dune_rules/super_context.mli b/src/dune_rules/super_context.mli
index 148ce72c7563..2c638e9a8bea 100644
--- a/src/dune_rules/super_context.mli
+++ b/src/dune_rules/super_context.mli
@@ -87,12 +87,7 @@ val foreign_flags :
   -> string list Action_builder.t
 
 val link_flags :
-     t
-  -> dir:Path.Build.t
-  -> expander:Expander.t
-  -> use_standard_cxx_flags:bool
-  -> flags:Ordered_set_lang.Unexpanded.t
-  -> string list Action_builder.t
+  t -> dir:Path.Build.t -> Link_flags.Spec.t -> Link_flags.t Memo.Build.t
 
 val menhir_flags :
      t
diff --git a/test/blackbox-tests/test-cases/cxx-flags.t/dune b/test/blackbox-tests/test-cases/cxx-flags.t/dune
index 6f4cc7ca9042..7804b95f2706 100644
--- a/test/blackbox-tests/test-cases/cxx-flags.t/dune
+++ b/test/blackbox-tests/test-cases/cxx-flags.t/dune
@@ -7,4 +7,4 @@
  (name main)
  (libraries quad)
  (foreign_stubs (language cxx) (names bazexe))
- (modules main))
+ (modules main))
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/blackbox-tests/test-cases/cxx-flags.t/run.t b/test/blackbox-tests/test-cases/cxx-flags.t/run.t
index a1464f6d292c..49b8e0512b97 100644
--- a/test/blackbox-tests/test-cases/cxx-flags.t/run.t
+++ b/test/blackbox-tests/test-cases/cxx-flags.t/run.t
@@ -106,8 +106,33 @@ With use_standard_c_and_cxx_flags = true
   > grep -ce "Main.cmx$GCC_LF_LIB)\|Main.cmx$Clang_LF_LIB)\|Main.cmx$Msvc_LF_LIB)"
   1
 
+  $ dune clean
+
   $ dune exec ./main.exe
   2046
   4096
   Hello World Baz!
   Hello World Bazexe!
+
+  $ [ -f _build/default/.dune/ccomp/ccomp ]
+
+
+ccomp is not computed if not required
+=====================================
+  $ dune clean
+
+  $ dune exec ./sub/main_no_stubs.exe
+  OK
+
+  $ [ -f _build/default/.dune/ccomp/ccomp ]
+  [1]
+
+
+one can extend link flags in env
+================================
+
+  $ OTHER=" --other-flag --yet-some-other-flag)"
+
+  $ dune rules sub/main.exe --profile some-profile  | tr -s '\n' ' ' |
+  > grep -ce "Main.cmx$GCC_LF_LIB$OTHER\|Main.cmx$Clang_LF_LIB$OTHER\|Main.cmx$Msvc_LF_LIB$OTHER"
+  1
diff --git a/test/blackbox-tests/test-cases/cxx-flags.t/sub/bazexe.cpp b/test/blackbox-tests/test-cases/cxx-flags.t/sub/bazexe.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..c44efd5cc3e4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/blackbox-tests/test-cases/cxx-flags.t/sub/bazexe.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+#include <caml/mlvalues.h>
+#include <iostream>
+
+extern "C" value bazexe(value unit) { return Val_int(4096); }
+
+extern "C" void hello_world_bazexe ();
+
+void hello_world_bazexe ()
+{
+  std::cout << "Hello World Bazexe!";
+}
diff --git a/test/blackbox-tests/test-cases/cxx-flags.t/sub/dune b/test/blackbox-tests/test-cases/cxx-flags.t/sub/dune
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..1834f1b88ce5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/blackbox-tests/test-cases/cxx-flags.t/sub/dune
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+
+(executable
+ (name main)
+ (link_flags (:standard --yet-some-other-flag \ --remove-this-one-later))
+ (foreign_stubs (language cxx) (names bazexe))
+ (modules main))
+
+(executable
+ (name main_no_stubs)
+ (modules main_no_stubs))
+
+(env (some-profile (link_flags (:standard --other-flag --remove-this-one-later))))
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/blackbox-tests/test-cases/cxx-flags.t/sub/dune-project b/test/blackbox-tests/test-cases/cxx-flags.t/sub/dune-project
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..37f995d64929
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/blackbox-tests/test-cases/cxx-flags.t/sub/dune-project
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+(lang dune 3.0)
diff --git a/test/blackbox-tests/test-cases/cxx-flags.t/sub/main.ml b/test/blackbox-tests/test-cases/cxx-flags.t/sub/main.ml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..414107b15150
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/blackbox-tests/test-cases/cxx-flags.t/sub/main.ml
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+let () = print_endline "OK"
diff --git a/test/blackbox-tests/test-cases/cxx-flags.t/sub/main_no_stubs.ml b/test/blackbox-tests/test-cases/cxx-flags.t/sub/main_no_stubs.ml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..414107b15150
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/blackbox-tests/test-cases/cxx-flags.t/sub/main_no_stubs.ml
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+let () = print_endline "OK"