diff --git a/tools/link.py b/tools/link.py
index 6b79f80313ecf..6c8e64fc3ebe0 100644
--- a/tools/link.py
+++ b/tools/link.py
@@ -2795,7 +2795,7 @@ def process_libraries(options, flags):
       continue
 
     static_lib = f'lib{lib}.a'
-    if not settings.RELOCATABLE and not find_library(static_lib, state.lib_dirs):
+    if not settings.RELOCATABLE and not find_library(static_lib, options.lib_dirs):
       # Normally we can rely on the native linker to expand `-l` args.
       # However, emscripten also supports `.so` files that are actually just
       # regular object file.  This means we need to support `.so` files even