diff --git a/ggml/src/ggml-rpc/CMakeLists.txt b/ggml/src/ggml-rpc/CMakeLists.txt
index af3bd0290..e3d0c9b4c 100644
--- a/ggml/src/ggml-rpc/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/ggml/src/ggml-rpc/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -36,8 +36,10 @@ if (GGML_RPC_RDMA)
     target_compile_definitions(ggml-rpc PRIVATE GGML_RPC_RDMA)
     if (APPLE)
         # librdma.dylib only exists on macOS 26.2 and later. Link it weakly so a build made
-        # where it exists still loads where it does not; checked at runtime before use.
-        target_link_options(ggml-rpc PRIVATE "LINKER:-weak_library,${RDMA_LIB}")
+        # where it exists still loads where it does not; checked at runtime before use
+        # but with BUILD_SHARED_LIBS=OFF ggml-rpc is a static archive and never links
+        # so the librdma symbols used by transport-apple.cpp stay undefined.
+        target_link_options(ggml-rpc PUBLIC "LINKER:-weak_library,${RDMA_LIB}")
         target_compile_definitions(ggml-rpc PRIVATE GGML_RPC_RDMA_APPLE)
         target_sources(ggml-rpc PRIVATE transport-apple.cpp)
     else()