diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
index 0ba2a187b..327652535 100644
--- a/pom.xml
+++ b/pom.xml
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 
   <groupId>com.github.maven-nar</groupId>
   <artifactId>nar-maven-plugin</artifactId>
-  <version>3.7.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+  <version>3.8.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
   <packaging>maven-plugin</packaging>
 
   <name>Native ARchive plugin for Maven</name>
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/github/maven_nar/Linker.java b/src/main/java/com/github/maven_nar/Linker.java
index 41f8e4164..acf0feba9 100755
--- a/src/main/java/com/github/maven_nar/Linker.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/github/maven_nar/Linker.java
@@ -103,6 +103,14 @@ public class Linker {
   @Parameter
   private List testOptions;
 
+  /**
+   * Additional options for the linker when running in the nar-testCompile
+   * phase.
+   *
+   */
+  @Parameter
+  private List testExcludeOptions;
+
   /**
    * Options for the linker as a whitespace separated list. Defaults to
    * Architecture-OS-Linker specific values. Will
@@ -518,7 +526,23 @@ public final LinkerDef getTestLinker(final AbstractCompileMojo mojo, final CCTas
         linker.addConfiguredLinkerArg(arg);
       }
     }
-    return linker;
+    if (this.testExcludeOptions != null) {
+      for (final Object testExcludeOption : this.testExcludeOptions) {
+        final LinkerArgument arg = new LinkerArgument();
+        arg.setValue((String) testExcludeOption);
+        if (linker.removeConfiguredLinkerArg(arg)) {
+          mojo.getLog().debug(String.format("TestExcludeOption removed %s from the list of test execution arguments." ,
+                  arg.getValue()));
+        }
+        else {
+          mojo.getLog().debug(String.format ("%s%s%s",
+                  "TestExcludeOption didn't find ",
+                  arg.getValue(),
+                  " as a matching argument among the list of test execution arguments."));
+        }
+      }
+    }
+      return linker;
   }
 
   public final String getVersion() throws MojoFailureException, MojoExecutionException {
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/github/maven_nar/cpptasks/LinkerDef.java b/src/main/java/com/github/maven_nar/cpptasks/LinkerDef.java
index 9f1e0384f..a7739daea 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/github/maven_nar/cpptasks/LinkerDef.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/github/maven_nar/cpptasks/LinkerDef.java
@@ -99,6 +99,13 @@ public void addConfiguredLinkerArg(final LinkerArgument arg) {
     addConfiguredProcessorArg(arg);
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Removes a linker command-line arg.
+   */
+  public boolean removeConfiguredLinkerArg(final LinkerArgument arg) {
+    return removeConfiguredProcessorArg(arg);
+  }
+
   /**
    * Adds a compiler command-line arg.
    */
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/github/maven_nar/cpptasks/ProcessorDef.java b/src/main/java/com/github/maven_nar/cpptasks/ProcessorDef.java
index 16d10da17..cdbd2247c 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/github/maven_nar/cpptasks/ProcessorDef.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/github/maven_nar/cpptasks/ProcessorDef.java
@@ -133,6 +133,26 @@ protected void addConfiguredProcessorArg(final CommandLineArgument arg) throws N
     this.processorArgs.addElement(arg);
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Remove a <compilerarg> or <linkerarg>
+   *
+   * @param arg
+   *          command line argument, must not be null
+   * @throws NullPointerException
+   *           if arg is null
+   * @throws BuildException
+   *           if this definition is a reference
+   */
+  protected boolean removeConfiguredProcessorArg(final CommandLineArgument arg) throws NullPointerException, BuildException {
+    if (arg == null) {
+      throw new NullPointerException("arg");
+    }
+    if (isReference()) {
+      throw noChildrenAllowed();
+    }
+    return this.processorArgs.removeElement(arg);
+  }
+
   /**
    * Adds a <compilerarg>or <linkerarg>
    * 
@@ -318,6 +338,13 @@ public Environment getEnv() {
     return this.env;
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Provide direct access to copy of processorArgs for validation testing.
+   *
+   * @return processorArgs
+   */
+  public Vector getProcessorArgs() { return this.processorArgs; }
+
   /**
    * Gets the ProcessorDef specified by the extends attribute
    * 
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/github/maven_nar/cpptasks/types/CommandLineArgument.java b/src/main/java/com/github/maven_nar/cpptasks/types/CommandLineArgument.java
index 74e79d35f..60f756766 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/github/maven_nar/cpptasks/types/CommandLineArgument.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/github/maven_nar/cpptasks/types/CommandLineArgument.java
@@ -45,6 +45,10 @@ public String[] getValues() {
   public CommandLineArgument() {
   }
 
+  protected String getIfCond() { return this.ifCond; }
+
+  protected String getUnlessCond() { return this.unlessCond; }
+
   public int getLocation() {
     return this.location;
   }
@@ -69,6 +73,13 @@ public boolean isActive(final org.apache.tools.ant.Project p) {
     return true;
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Returns true if both of the objects are null or are equal by value.
+   */
+  protected static boolean compareStrings (String object1, String object2) {
+    return (object1 == null ? object2 == null : object1.equals(object2));
+  }
+
   /**
    * Sets the property name for the 'if' condition.
    * 
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/github/maven_nar/cpptasks/types/CompilerArgument.java b/src/main/java/com/github/maven_nar/cpptasks/types/CompilerArgument.java
index f965d861d..8231658fb 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/github/maven_nar/cpptasks/types/CompilerArgument.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/github/maven_nar/cpptasks/types/CompilerArgument.java
@@ -19,6 +19,8 @@
  */
 package com.github.maven_nar.cpptasks.types;
 
+import java.util.Objects;
+
 /**
  * A compiler command line argument.
  */
@@ -29,4 +31,33 @@ public CompilerArgument() {
   public void execute() throws org.apache.tools.ant.BuildException {
     throw new org.apache.tools.ant.BuildException("Not an actual task, but looks like one for documentation purposes");
   }
+
+  /**
+   * Since equals method is overloaded, also overload hashCode() to be consistent
+   * when comparing objects for collections.
+   * @return calculated hashcode of an object.
+   */
+  @Override
+  public int hashCode() {
+    return Objects.hashCode(this.getValue());
+  }
+
+
+  /**
+   * Override default equals method to compare objects based on the string value,
+   * consumed by Collections (Vector, etc.,) methods for its comparisons.
+   * @return true if the comparing object has the same superclass & contains the same value.
+   */
+  @Override
+  public boolean equals(Object arg)
+  {
+    if((arg== null) || (arg.getClass() != CompilerArgument.class)) {
+      return false;
+    }
+    CompilerArgument cmdLineArg = (CompilerArgument) arg;
+    return (cmdLineArg.compareStrings(cmdLineArg.getValue(),this.getValue())
+            && cmdLineArg.getLocation() == this.getLocation()
+            && cmdLineArg.compareStrings(cmdLineArg.getIfCond(),this.getIfCond())
+            && cmdLineArg.compareStrings(cmdLineArg.getUnlessCond(),this.getUnlessCond()));
+  }
 }
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/github/maven_nar/cpptasks/types/LinkerArgument.java b/src/main/java/com/github/maven_nar/cpptasks/types/LinkerArgument.java
index 3e57937e7..67a547119 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/github/maven_nar/cpptasks/types/LinkerArgument.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/github/maven_nar/cpptasks/types/LinkerArgument.java
@@ -19,6 +19,8 @@
  */
 package com.github.maven_nar.cpptasks.types;
 
+import java.util.Objects;
+
 /**
  * A linker command line argument.
  */
@@ -29,4 +31,33 @@ public LinkerArgument() {
   public void execute() throws org.apache.tools.ant.BuildException {
     throw new org.apache.tools.ant.BuildException("Not an actual task, but looks like one for documentation purposes");
   }
+
+  /**
+   * Since equals method is overloaded, also overload hashCode() to be consistent
+   * when comparing objects for collections.
+   * @return calculated hashcode of an object.
+   */
+  @Override
+  public int hashCode() {
+    return Objects.hashCode(this.getValue());
+  }
+
+
+  /**
+   * Override default equals method to compare objects based on the string value,
+   * consumed by Collections (Vector, etc.,) methods for its comparisons.
+   * @return true if the comparing object has the same superclass & contains the same value.
+   */
+  @Override
+  public boolean equals(Object arg)
+  {
+    if((arg== null) || (arg.getClass() != LinkerArgument.class)) {
+      return false;
+    }
+    LinkerArgument cmdLineArg = (LinkerArgument) arg;
+    return (cmdLineArg.compareStrings(cmdLineArg.getValue(),this.getValue())
+            && cmdLineArg.getLocation() == this.getLocation()
+            && cmdLineArg.compareStrings(cmdLineArg.getIfCond(),this.getIfCond())
+            && cmdLineArg.compareStrings(cmdLineArg.getUnlessCond(),this.getUnlessCond()));
+  }
 }
diff --git a/src/site/apt/configuration.apt b/src/site/apt/configuration.apt
index e3cd61571..ef299f0d6 100644
--- a/src/site/apt/configuration.apt
+++ b/src/site/apt/configuration.apt
@@ -95,6 +95,9 @@ NAR Configuration
     <testOptions>
       <testOption/>
     </testOptions>
+    <testExcludeOptions>
+      <testExcludeOption/>
+    </testExcludeOptions>
     <clearDefaultOptions/>
     <libs>
       <lib>
@@ -356,6 +359,10 @@ wish to run a GNU configure step but not the full make process.
 
 	Additional options for the linker during the nar-testCompile phase.
 
+** {linker testExcludeOptions}
+
+	Additional options to be excluded for the linker during the nar-testCompile phase.
+
 ** {linker clearDefaultOptions}
 
 	Clear options specified in AOL properties.
diff --git a/src/test/java/com/github/maven_nar/cpptasks/TestLinkerDef.java b/src/test/java/com/github/maven_nar/cpptasks/TestLinkerDef.java
index 2d62f1c68..f2ff7c1b3 100644
--- a/src/test/java/com/github/maven_nar/cpptasks/TestLinkerDef.java
+++ b/src/test/java/com/github/maven_nar/cpptasks/TestLinkerDef.java
@@ -361,4 +361,21 @@ public void testWrongType() {
     }
     fail("should have thrown exception");
   }
+  /**
+   * Tests the behavior of testExcludeOptions,
+   * ensures that linker arguments are removed as expected.
+   */
+  public void testLinkerBase() {
+    final LinkerDef baseLinkerDef = new LinkerDef();
+    final LinkerArgument argument1 = new LinkerArgument();
+    argument1.setValue("OPTION1");
+    baseLinkerDef.addConfiguredLinkerArg(argument1);
+    final LinkerArgument argument2 = new LinkerArgument();
+    argument2.setValue("OPTION2");
+    baseLinkerDef.addConfiguredLinkerArg(argument2);
+    assertEquals(2,baseLinkerDef.getProcessorArgs().size());
+    baseLinkerDef.removeConfiguredLinkerArg(argument1);
+    baseLinkerDef.removeConfiguredLinkerArg(argument2);
+    assertEquals(0,baseLinkerDef.getProcessorArgs().size());
+  }
 }