diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 3051035..526db00 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -20,9 +20,6 @@ def parse_library_names(libdir):
     # add system netcdf library
     library_names.extend(['netcdf'])
 
-    # move current library name to first
-    #current = [item for item in library_names if item.startswith('kintera')]
-    #other = [item for item in library_names if not item.startswith('kintera')]
     # 1) non-cuda libs first (consumers)
     kintera_non_cuda = [l for l in library_names if l.startswith("kintera") and "cuda" not in l]
     # 2) cuda libs last (providers)
@@ -61,14 +58,26 @@ def parse_library_names(libdir):
         "-Wl,-rpath,@loader_path/../pyharp/lib",
     ]
 else:
+    # ubuntu system has an aggressive linker that removes unused shared libs
+    # add cuda library explicitly if built with cuda
+    cuda_linker = []
+    cuda_libraries = [lib for lib in libraries if "cuda" in lib]
+    if cuda_libraries:
+        for lib in cuda_libraries:
+            libraries.remove(lib)
+        cuda_linker = (
+            ["-Wl,--no-as-needed"]
+            + [f"-l{lib}" for lib in cuda_libraries]
+            + ["-Wl,--as-needed"]
+            )
+
     extra_link_args = [
-        "-Wl,--no-as-needed",
         "-Wl,-rpath,$ORIGIN/lib",
         "-Wl,-rpath,$ORIGIN/../torch/lib",
         "-Wl,-rpath,$ORIGIN/../pydisort/lib",
-        "-Wl,-rpath,$ORIGIN/../pyharp/lib",
-        "-Wl,--as-needed",
-    ]
+        "-Wl,-rpath,$ORIGIN/../pyharp/lib"
+        ]
+    extra_link_args += cuda_linker
 
 ext_module = cpp_extension.CppExtension(
     name='kintera.kintera',