diff --git a/Rakefile b/Rakefile
index 44924b7..630590a 100644
--- a/Rakefile
+++ b/Rakefile
@@ -7,6 +7,28 @@ Rake::TestTask.new do |t|
   t.test_files = FileList["test/**/t_*.rb"]
 end
 
-task :gem do
+desc "Create the size_t size macro for c_struct"
+file 'lib/linux/c_struct_sizeof_size_t.rb' do |t|
+  begin
+    sz = Integer(`echo __SIZEOF_SIZE_T__ | /usr/bin/gcc -E -P -`)
+    File.open(t.name, 'w+') do |fh|
+      fh.puts "module Linux ; class CStruct ; SIZEOF_SIZE_T = #{sz} ; end ; end"
+    end
+  rescue
+    rm_f t.name
+  end
+end
+
+desc "Package a gem"
+task :gem do 
+  #
+  # FIXME. If using a gem, fall back on GCC to determine sizeof size_t.
+  #
+  rm_f "lib/linux/c_struct_sizeof_size_t.rb"
   sh "gem build netlinkrb.gemspec"
 end
+
+desc "clean up"
+task :clean do
+  rm_f "lib/linux/c_struct_sizeof_size_t.rb"
+end
diff --git a/debian/changelog b/debian/changelog
index 769d925..e35e4c1 100644
--- a/debian/changelog
+++ b/debian/changelog
@@ -1,3 +1,10 @@
+linux-netlink-ruby (0.10-4) unstable; urgency=low
+
+  * Removed dependency on gcc, in favour of having arch-dependent packages
+    which rely on build-time ascertation of sizeof size_t.
+
+ -- Patrick J Cherry <patrick@bytemark.co.uk>  Tue, 24 Jan 2012 15:56:46 +0000
+
 linux-netlink-ruby (0.10-3) unstable; urgency=low
 
   * Updated version number to cover the previous changes.
diff --git a/debian/control b/debian/control
index 18f7c77..4688a24 100644
--- a/debian/control
+++ b/debian/control
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ Maintainer: Matthew Bloch <matthew@bytemark.co.uk>
 Uploaders: Patrick J Cherry <patrick@bytemark.co.uk>
 Section: ruby
 Priority: optional
-Build-Depends:  debhelper (>= 7), cdbs, ruby1.8, ruby1.9.1, ruby-pkg-tools
+Build-Depends:  debhelper (>= 7), cdbs, ruby1.8, ruby1.9.1, ruby-pkg-tools, rake
 Standards-Version: 3.8.0
 
 Package: liblinux-netlink-ruby
@@ -17,8 +17,8 @@ Description: Netlink socket library for Ruby
  This is the metapackage for all versions of Ruby.
 
 Package: liblinux-netlink-ruby1.8
-Architecture: all
-Depends: ruby1.8 (>= 1.8.7), libffi-ruby1.8, gcc, ${misc:Depends}
+Architecture: any
+Depends: ruby1.8 (>= 1.8.7), libffi-ruby1.8, ${misc:Depends}
 Description: Netlink socket library for Ruby 1.8
  This library provides an API for using a Linux Netlink socket, for doing
  things like manipulating IP interfaces and routes programmatically, and
@@ -28,8 +28,8 @@ Description: Netlink socket library for Ruby 1.8
  
 
 Package: liblinux-netlink-ruby1.9.1
-Architecture: all
-Depends: ruby1.9.1, libffi-ruby1.9.1, gcc, ${misc:Depends}
+Architecture: any
+Depends: ruby1.9.1, libffi-ruby1.9.1, ${misc:Depends}
 Description: Netlink socket library for Ruby 1.9.1
  This library provides an API for using a Linux Netlink socket, for doing
  things like manipulating IP interfaces and routes programmatically, and
diff --git a/debian/rules b/debian/rules
index 4616b2f..bf1db75 100755
--- a/debian/rules
+++ b/debian/rules
@@ -4,3 +4,8 @@
 include /usr/share/cdbs/1/rules/debhelper.mk
 include /usr/share/ruby-pkg-tools/1/class/ruby-setup-rb.mk
 
+makebuilddir::
+	rake lib/linux/c_struct_sizeof_size_t.rb
+
+clean::
+	rake clean
diff --git a/lib/linux/c_struct.rb b/lib/linux/c_struct.rb
index 28375e2..9f6b606 100644
--- a/lib/linux/c_struct.rb
+++ b/lib/linux/c_struct.rb
@@ -79,7 +79,13 @@ class CStruct
   define_type :ns,      :pattern => "n",  :align => true
   define_type :nl,      :pattern => "N",  :align => true
   
-  SIZEOF_SIZE_T = Integer(`echo __SIZEOF_SIZE_T__ | gcc -E -P -`) rescue 1.size
+  begin
+    require 'linux/c_struct_sizeof_size_t.rb'
+  rescue LoadError
+    warn "Falling back to gcc to determine sizeof size_t." if $VERBOSE
+    SIZEOF_SIZE_T = Integer(`echo __SIZEOF_SIZE_T__ | gcc -E -P -`) rescue 1.size
+  end
+
   define_type :size_t,
     case SIZEOF_SIZE_T
     when 8