diff --git a/CHANGES b/CHANGES
index 0d5f243..ec3db01 100644
--- a/CHANGES
+++ b/CHANGES
@@ -89,7 +89,8 @@ The following are the changes from calc version 2.14.3.1 to date:
 
     Under macOS, to reduce dependency chains, we remove functions and
     data that are unreachable by the entry point or exported symbols.
-    In particular, the linker is run with "-dead_strip".
+    In particular, the linker is run with "-dead_strip" and with
+    "-dead_strip_dylibs".
 
 
 The following are the changes from calc version 2.14.2.1 to 2.14.3.0:
diff --git a/Makefile.target b/Makefile.target
index ee91216..7b188e6 100644
--- a/Makefile.target
+++ b/Makefile.target
@@ -177,13 +177,7 @@ LIBCUSTCALC_SHLIB= -dynamiclib -undefined dynamic_lookup \
 # data that are unreachable by the entry point or exported symbols.
 #
 COMMON_LDFLAGS+= -Wl,-dead_strip
-
-# We cannot use: COMMON_LDFLAGS+= -Wl,-dead_strip_dylibs
-#
-# The macOS ld documentation states that option should not be used
-# when linking against a dylib which is required at runtime for some
-# indirect reason such as the dylib has an important initializer.
-# The libcustcalc appears to have such an initializer.
+COMMON_LDFLAGS+= -Wl,-dead_strip_dylibs
 
 # static library option
 #
diff --git a/calc.c b/calc.c
index cb42dee..a483dd6 100644
--- a/calc.c
+++ b/calc.c
@@ -164,9 +164,33 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 				switch (c) {
 				case 'C':
 #if defined(CUSTOM)
+					/*
+					 * validate custtbl_allowed value
+					 */
+					if (custtbl_allowed == 0) {
+					    fprintf(stderr, "%s: calc was built with "
+							    "custom functions enabled, "
+							    "but custtbl_allowed: %d == 0\n",
+							    program, custtbl_allowed);
+					    exit(1);
+					}
+
+					/*
+					 * indicate that custom functions are now allowed
+					 */
 					allow_custom = TRUE;
 					break;
 #else /* CUSTOM */
+					/*
+					 * validate custtbl_allowed value
+					 */
+					if (custtbl_allowed != 0) {
+					    fprintf(stderr, "%s: calc was built with "
+							    "custom functions disabled, "
+							    "but custtbl_allowed: %d != 0\n",
+							    program, custtbl_allowed);
+					}
+
 					/*
 					 * we are too early in processing to
 					 * call libcalc_call_me_last() -
diff --git a/custom.c b/custom.c
index 6e0e9db..a0e895b 100644
--- a/custom.c
+++ b/custom.c
@@ -96,8 +96,8 @@ custom(char *name, int count, VALUE **vals)
 	 */
 	if (custtbl_allowed == 0) {
 	    fprintf(stderr,
-		"%sCalc was built with custom functions enabled but custtbl_allowed is 0\n",
-		(conf->tab_ok ? "\t" : ""));
+		"%sCalc was built with custom functions enabled but custtbl_allowed: %d == 0\n",
+		(conf->tab_ok ? "\t" : ""), custtbl_allowed);
 	    return error_value(E_NO_CUSTOM);
 	}
 
@@ -123,8 +123,8 @@ custom(char *name, int count, VALUE **vals)
 	 */
 	if (custtbl_allowed != 0) {
 	    fprintf(stderr,
-		"%sCalc was built with custom functions disabled but custtbl_allowed is != 0\n",
-		(conf->tab_ok ? "\t" : ""));
+		"%sCalc was built with custom functions disabled but custtbl_allowed: %d != 0\n",
+		(conf->tab_ok ? "\t" : ""), custtbl_allowed);
 	}
 	return error_value(E_NO_CUSTOM);