diff --git a/modules/src/malloc/.distr b/modules/src/malloc/.distr
index c0b922e2f..048c21b65 100644
--- a/modules/src/malloc/.distr
+++ b/modules/src/malloc/.distr
@@ -12,3 +12,4 @@ mal.c
 param.h
 phys.c
 phys.h
+size_type.h
diff --git a/modules/src/malloc/Makefile b/modules/src/malloc/Makefile
index 5884e37ae..0a4ca6ba5 100644
--- a/modules/src/malloc/Makefile
+++ b/modules/src/malloc/Makefile
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ CFLAGS = -O -I$(EMHOME)/modules/h $(COPT)
 SUF = o
 RCC = cc	#$ must produce a runnable object
 
-MALLOCSRC =	READ_ME size_type.h param.h impl.h check.h log.h phys.h \
+MALLOCSRC =	READ_ME size_type.h gensize_type.h param.h impl.h check.h log.h phys.h \
 		mal.c log.c phys.c check.c
 
 .SUFFIXES: .$(SUF)
@@ -35,10 +35,10 @@ opr:
 		make pr | opr
 
 clean:
-		rm -f *.$(SUF) clashes malloc1.c size_type.h getsize malloc.c
+		rm -f *.$(SUF) clashes malloc1.c gensize_type.h getsize malloc.c
 
-size_type.h:	getsize
-		getsize > size_type.h
+gensize_type.h:	getsize
+		getsize > gensize_type.h
 
 getsize:	getsize.c
 		$(RCC) -o getsize getsize.c
diff --git a/modules/src/malloc/getsize.c b/modules/src/malloc/getsize.c
index de2b133a1..feb6ef57c 100644
--- a/modules/src/malloc/getsize.c
+++ b/modules/src/malloc/getsize.c
@@ -11,14 +11,17 @@
 
 main()
 {
+	puts("#ifndef size_type");
 	if (sizeof(unsigned int) == sizeof(char *)) {
-		puts("typedef unsigned int size_type;");
-		exit(0);
+		puts("#define size_type unsigned int");
 	}
-	if (sizeof(long) == sizeof(char *)) {
-		puts("typedef long size_type;");
-		exit(0);
+	else if (sizeof(long) == sizeof(char *)) {
+		puts("#define size_type long");
 	}
-	fputs("funny pointer size\n", stderr);
-	exit(1);
+	else {
+		fputs("funny pointer size\n", stderr);
+		exit(1);
+	}
+	puts("#endif");
+	exit(0);
 }
diff --git a/modules/src/malloc/size_type.h b/modules/src/malloc/size_type.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..996b6fc55
--- /dev/null
+++ b/modules/src/malloc/size_type.h
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+/* $Header$ */
+/*
+ * (c) copyright 1987 by the Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
+ * See the copyright notice in the ACK home directory, in the file "Copyright".
+ */
+/*	This file defines size_type if _EM_WSIZE and _EM_PSIZE are defined.
+*/
+
+#if defined(_EM_WSIZE) && defined(_EM_PSIZE)
+#if _EM_WSIZE == _EM_PSIZE
+#define size_type	unsigned int
+#else
+#define size_type	long
+#endif
+#endif