diff --git a/tool/linker/ex9/common.mak b/tool/linker/ex9/common.mak
index a57ce18a1..46e140089 100644
--- a/tool/linker/ex9/common.mak
+++ b/tool/linker/ex9/common.mak
@@ -15,11 +15,14 @@ TEST_EXE =    $(SUBDIR)$(HPS)test.com
 DOSLIBLINKER_OFMT = -of com
 ! else
 TEST_EXE =    $(SUBDIR)$(HPS)test.exe
-TESTW_EXE =   $(SUBDIR)$(HPS)testw.exe
 TESTF_EXE =   $(SUBDIR)$(HPS)testf.exe
 TESTFF_EXE =  $(SUBDIR)$(HPS)testff.exe
 TESTFC_EXE =  $(SUBDIR)$(HPS)testfc.com
 DOSLIBLINKER_OFMT = -of exe
+
+# NTS: Open Watcom's linker does NOT handle this test case well 
+#TESTW_EXE =   $(SUBDIR)$(HPS)testw.exe
+
 ! endif
 !endif
 
diff --git a/tool/linker/ex9/drvc.c b/tool/linker/ex9/drvc.c
index de659388d..702fe41ca 100644
--- a/tool/linker/ex9/drvc.c
+++ b/tool/linker/ex9/drvc.c
@@ -11,14 +11,24 @@ void dos_putc(const char c);
     modify [ah] \
     parm [dl]
 
+#if defined(TINYMODE)
 void dos_puts(const char *p) {
+#else
+void dos_puts(const char far *p) {
+#endif
     char c;
 
     while ((c = *p++) != 0)
         dos_putc(c);
 }
 
+#if defined(TINYMODE)
+# define DATA32_SCOPE
 extern unsigned long ex_data32;
+#else
+# define DATA32_SCOPE far
+extern unsigned long far ex_data32;
+#endif
 
 unsigned int near entry_c(void) {
     dos_puts(hello_world);
@@ -30,7 +40,7 @@ unsigned int near entry_c(void) {
      * NTS: Open Watcom's Linker WILL NOT link this test properly, this test will fail. */
     if (ex_data32 == 0x89ABCDEF) {
         dos_puts("EX_DATA32 YES\nEX_DATA32 string: ");
-        dos_puts((const char *)(&ex_data32) + 4ul);
+        dos_puts((const char DATA32_SCOPE *)(&ex_data32) + 4ul);
         dos_puts(crlf);
     }
     else {