diff --git a/mesonbuild/compilers/compilers.py b/mesonbuild/compilers/compilers.py
index 4ab4dc661..417e0e94a 100644
--- a/mesonbuild/compilers/compilers.py
+++ b/mesonbuild/compilers/compilers.py
@@ -360,7 +360,7 @@ def get_base_link_args(options, linker, is_shared_module):
         args.append('-Wl,-bitcode_bundle')
     elif as_needed:
         # -Wl,-dead_strip_dylibs is incompatible with bitcode
-        args.append(linker.get_asneeded_args())
+        args.extend(linker.get_asneeded_args())
     try:
         crt_val = options['b_vscrt'].value
         buildtype = options['buildtype'].value
diff --git a/mesonbuild/compilers/mixins/gnu.py b/mesonbuild/compilers/mixins/gnu.py
index c5750450e..56473390b 100644
--- a/mesonbuild/compilers/mixins/gnu.py
+++ b/mesonbuild/compilers/mixins/gnu.py
@@ -188,15 +188,15 @@ class GnuLikeCompiler(metaclass=abc.ABCMeta):
         # All GCC-like backends can do assembly
         self.can_compile_suffixes.add('s')
 
-    def get_asneeded_args(self) -> str:
+    def get_asneeded_args(self) -> typing.List[str]:
         # GNU ld cannot be installed on macOS
         # https://github.com/Homebrew/homebrew-core/issues/17794#issuecomment-328174395
         # Hence, we don't need to differentiate between OS and ld
         # for the sake of adding as-needed support
         if self.compiler_type.is_osx_compiler:
-            return '-Wl,-dead_strip_dylibs'
+            return ['-Wl,-dead_strip_dylibs']
         else:
-            return '-Wl,--as-needed'
+            return ['-Wl,--as-needed']
 
     def get_pic_args(self) -> typing.List[str]:
         if self.compiler_type.is_osx_compiler or self.compiler_type.is_windows_compiler: