diff --git a/vlib/sync/stdatomic/1.declarations.c.v b/vlib/sync/stdatomic/1.declarations.c.v
index 24d19970bc974a..af3e97191bc3a6 100644
--- a/vlib/sync/stdatomic/1.declarations.c.v
+++ b/vlib/sync/stdatomic/1.declarations.c.v
@@ -14,58 +14,17 @@ $if windows {
 $if linux {
 	$if tinyc {
 		$if amd64 {
-			// most Linux distributions have /usr/lib/libatomic.so,
-			// but Ubuntu uses gcc version specific dir
-			#flag -L/usr/lib/gcc/x86_64-linux-gnu/6
-			#flag -L/usr/lib/gcc/x86_64-linux-gnu/7
-			#flag -L/usr/lib/gcc/x86_64-linux-gnu/8
-			#flag -L/usr/lib/gcc/x86_64-linux-gnu/9
-			#flag -L/usr/lib/gcc/x86_64-linux-gnu/10
-			#flag -L/usr/lib/gcc/x86_64-linux-gnu/11
-			#flag -L/usr/lib/gcc/x86_64-linux-gnu/12
-			#flag -L/usr/lib/gcc/x86_64-linux-gnu/13
-			#flag -L/usr/lib/gcc/x86_64-linux-gnu/14
+			#flag $when_first_existing('/usr/lib/gcc/x86_64-linux-gnu/6/libatomic.a','/usr/lib/gcc/x86_64-linux-gnu/7/libatomic.a','/usr/lib/gcc/x86_64-linux-gnu/8/libatomic.a','/usr/lib/gcc/x86_64-linux-gnu/9/libatomic.a','/usr/lib/gcc/x86_64-linux-gnu/10/libatomic.a','/usr/lib/gcc/x86_64-linux-gnu/11/libatomic.a','/usr/lib/gcc/x86_64-linux-gnu/12/libatomic.a','/usr/lib/gcc/x86_64-linux-gnu/13/libatomic.a','/usr/lib/gcc/x86_64-linux-gnu/14/libatomic.a')
 			// Redhat/CentOS paths:
-			#flag -L/usr/lib/gcc/x86_64-redhat-linux/6
-			#flag -L/usr/lib/gcc/x86_64-redhat-linux/7
-			#flag -L/usr/lib/gcc/x86_64-redhat-linux/8
-			#flag -L/usr/lib/gcc/x86_64-redhat-linux/9
-			#flag -L/usr/lib/gcc/x86_64-redhat-linux/10
-			#flag -L/usr/lib/gcc/x86_64-redhat-linux/11
-			#flag -L/usr/lib/gcc/x86_64-redhat-linux/12
-			#flag -L/usr/lib/gcc/x86_64-redhat-linux/13
-			#flag -L/usr/lib/gcc/x86_64-redhat-linux/14
+			#flag $when_first_existing('/usr/lib/gcc/x86_64-redhat-linux/6/libatomic.a','/usr/lib/gcc/x86_64-redhat-linux/7/libatomic.a','/usr/lib/gcc/x86_64-redhat-linux/8/libatomic.a','/usr/lib/gcc/x86_64-redhat-linux/9/libatomic.a','/usr/lib/gcc/x86_64-redhat-linux/10/libatomic.a','/usr/lib/gcc/x86_64-redhat-linux/11/libatomic.a','/usr/lib/gcc/x86_64-redhat-linux/12/libatomic.a','/usr/lib/gcc/x86_64-redhat-linux/13/libatomic.a','/usr/lib/gcc/x86_64-redhat-linux/14/libatomic.a')
 			// Gentoo paths:
-			#flag -L/usr/lib/gcc/x86_64-pc-linux-gnu/6
-			#flag -L/usr/lib/gcc/x86_64-pc-linux-gnu/7
-			#flag -L/usr/lib/gcc/x86_64-pc-linux-gnu/8
-			#flag -L/usr/lib/gcc/x86_64-pc-linux-gnu/9
-			#flag -L/usr/lib/gcc/x86_64-pc-linux-gnu/10
-			#flag -L/usr/lib/gcc/x86_64-pc-linux-gnu/11
-			#flag -L/usr/lib/gcc/x86_64-pc-linux-gnu/12
-			#flag -L/usr/lib/gcc/x86_64-pc-linux-gnu/13
-			#flag -L/usr/lib/gcc/x86_64-pc-linux-gnu/14
+			#flag $when_first_existing('/usr/lib/gcc/x86_64-pc-linux-gnu/6/libatomic.a','/usr/lib/gcc/x86_64-pc-linux-gnu/7/libatomic.a','/usr/lib/gcc/x86_64-pc-linux-gnu/8/libatomic.a','/usr/lib/gcc/x86_64-pc-linux-gnu/9/libatomic.a','/usr/lib/gcc/x86_64-pc-linux-gnu/10/libatomic.a','/usr/lib/gcc/x86_64-pc-linux-gnu/11/libatomic.a','/usr/lib/gcc/x86_64-pc-linux-gnu/12/libatomic.a','/usr/lib/gcc/x86_64-pc-linux-gnu/13/libatomic.a','/usr/lib/gcc/x86_64-pc-linux-gnu/14/libatomic.a')
 			// OpenSUSE paths:
-			#flag -L/usr/lib64/gcc/x86_64-suse-linux/6
-			#flag -L/usr/lib64/gcc/x86_64-suse-linux/7
-			#flag -L/usr/lib64/gcc/x86_64-suse-linux/8
-			#flag -L/usr/lib64/gcc/x86_64-suse-linux/9
-			#flag -L/usr/lib64/gcc/x86_64-suse-linux/10
-			#flag -L/usr/lib64/gcc/x86_64-suse-linux/11
-			#flag -L/usr/lib64/gcc/x86_64-suse-linux/12
-			#flag -L/usr/lib64/gcc/x86_64-suse-linux/13
-			#flag -L/usr/lib64/gcc/x86_64-suse-linux/14
+			#flag $when_first_existing('/usr/lib64/gcc/x86_64-suse-linux/6/libatomic.a','/usr/lib64/gcc/x86_64-suse-linux/7/libatomic.a','/usr/lib64/gcc/x86_64-suse-linux/8/libatomic.a','/usr/lib64/gcc/x86_64-suse-linux/9/libatomic.a','/usr/lib64/gcc/x86_64-suse-linux/10/libatomic.a','/usr/lib64/gcc/x86_64-suse-linux/11/libatomic.a','/usr/lib64/gcc/x86_64-suse-linux/12/libatomic.a','/usr/lib64/gcc/x86_64-suse-linux/13/libatomic.a','/usr/lib64/gcc/x86_64-suse-linux/14/libatomic.a')
 			// ALT Linux paths:
-			#flag -L/usr/lib64/gcc/x86_64-alt-linux/6
-			#flag -L/usr/lib64/gcc/x86_64-alt-linux/7
-			#flag -L/usr/lib64/gcc/x86_64-alt-linux/8
-			#flag -L/usr/lib64/gcc/x86_64-alt-linux/9
-			#flag -L/usr/lib64/gcc/x86_64-alt-linux/10
-			#flag -L/usr/lib64/gcc/x86_64-alt-linux/11
-			#flag -L/usr/lib64/gcc/x86_64-alt-linux/12
-			#flag -L/usr/lib64/gcc/x86_64-alt-linux/13
-			#flag -L/usr/lib64/gcc/x86_64-alt-linux/14
+			#flag $when_first_existing('/usr/lib64/gcc/x86_64-alt-linux/6/libatomic.a','/usr/lib64/gcc/x86_64-alt-linux/7/libatomic.a','/usr/lib64/gcc/x86_64-alt-linux/8/libatomic.a','/usr/lib64/gcc/x86_64-alt-linux/9/libatomic.a','/usr/lib64/gcc/x86_64-alt-linux/10/libatomic.a','/usr/lib64/gcc/x86_64-alt-linux/11/libatomic.a','/usr/lib64/gcc/x86_64-alt-linux/12/libatomic.a','/usr/lib64/gcc/x86_64-alt-linux/13/libatomic.a','/usr/lib64/gcc/x86_64-alt-linux/14/libatomic.a')
 			$if musl ? {
+				// TODO: convert this as well
 				#flag -L/usr/lib/gcc/x86_64-pc-linux-musl/6
 				#flag -L/usr/lib/gcc/x86_64-pc-linux-musl/7
 				#flag -L/usr/lib/gcc/x86_64-pc-linux-musl/8
@@ -75,49 +34,32 @@ $if linux {
 				#flag -L/usr/lib/gcc/x86_64-pc-linux-musl/12
 				#flag -L/usr/lib/gcc/x86_64-pc-linux-musl/13
 				#flag -L/usr/lib/gcc/x86_64-pc-linux-musl/14
+				#flag -latomic
 			}
 		} $else $if arm64 {
-			#flag -L/usr/lib/gcc/aarch64-linux-gnu/6
-			#flag -L/usr/lib/gcc/aarch64-linux-gnu/7
-			#flag -L/usr/lib/gcc/aarch64-linux-gnu/8
-			#flag -L/usr/lib/gcc/aarch64-linux-gnu/9
-			#flag -L/usr/lib/gcc/aarch64-linux-gnu/10
-			#flag -L/usr/lib/gcc/aarch64-linux-gnu/11
-			#flag -L/usr/lib/gcc/aarch64-linux-gnu/12
-			#flag -L/usr/lib/gcc/aarch64-linux-gnu/13
-			#flag -L/usr/lib/gcc/aarch64-linux-gnu/14
+			#flag $when_first_existing('/usr/lib/gcc/aarch64-linux-gnu/6/libatomic.a','/usr/lib/gcc/aarch64-linux-gnu/7/libatomic.a','/usr/lib/gcc/aarch64-linux-gnu/8/libatomic.a','/usr/lib/gcc/aarch64-linux-gnu/9/libatomic.a','/usr/lib/gcc/aarch64-linux-gnu/10/libatomic.a','/usr/lib/gcc/aarch64-linux-gnu/11/libatomic.a','/usr/lib/gcc/aarch64-linux-gnu/12/libatomic.a','/usr/lib/gcc/aarch64-linux-gnu/13/libatomic.a','/usr/lib/gcc/aarch64-linux-gnu/14/libatomic.a')
 			// Redhat/CentOS paths:
-			#flag -L/usr/lib/gcc/aarch64-redhat-linux/6
-			#flag -L/usr/lib/gcc/aarch64-redhat-linux/7
-			#flag -L/usr/lib/gcc/aarch64-redhat-linux/8
-			#flag -L/usr/lib/gcc/aarch64-redhat-linux/9
-			#flag -L/usr/lib/gcc/aarch64-redhat-linux/10
-			#flag -L/usr/lib/gcc/aarch64-redhat-linux/11
-			#flag -L/usr/lib/gcc/aarch64-redhat-linux/12
-			#flag -L/usr/lib/gcc/aarch64-redhat-linux/13
-			#flag -L/usr/lib/gcc/aarch64-redhat-linux/14
+			#flag $when_first_existing('/usr/lib/gcc/aarch64-redhat-linux/6/libatomic.a','/usr/lib/gcc/aarch64-redhat-linux/7/libatomic.a','/usr/lib/gcc/aarch64-redhat-linux/8/libatomic.a','/usr/lib/gcc/aarch64-redhat-linux/9/libatomic.a','/usr/lib/gcc/aarch64-redhat-linux/10/libatomic.a','/usr/lib/gcc/aarch64-redhat-linux/11/libatomic.a','/usr/lib/gcc/aarch64-redhat-linux/12/libatomic.a','/usr/lib/gcc/aarch64-redhat-linux/13/libatomic.a','/usr/lib/gcc/aarch64-redhat-linux/14/libatomic.a')
 			// Gentoo paths:
-			#flag -L/usr/lib/gcc/aarch64-pc-linux-gnu/6
-			#flag -L/usr/lib/gcc/aarch64-pc-linux-gnu/7
-			#flag -L/usr/lib/gcc/aarch64-pc-linux-gnu/8
-			#flag -L/usr/lib/gcc/aarch64-pc-linux-gnu/9
-			#flag -L/usr/lib/gcc/aarch64-pc-linux-gnu/10
-			#flag -L/usr/lib/gcc/aarch64-pc-linux-gnu/11
-			#flag -L/usr/lib/gcc/aarch64-pc-linux-gnu/12
-			#flag -L/usr/lib/gcc/aarch64-pc-linux-gnu/13
-			#flag -L/usr/lib/gcc/aarch64-pc-linux-gnu/14
+			#flag $when_first_existing('/usr/lib/gcc/aarch64-pc-linux-gnu/6/libatomic.a','/usr/lib/gcc/aarch64-pc-linux-gnu/7/libatomic.a','/usr/lib/gcc/aarch64-pc-linux-gnu/8/libatomic.a','/usr/lib/gcc/aarch64-pc-linux-gnu/9/libatomic.a','/usr/lib/gcc/aarch64-pc-linux-gnu/10/libatomic.a','/usr/lib/gcc/aarch64-pc-linux-gnu/11/libatomic.a','/usr/lib/gcc/aarch64-pc-linux-gnu/12/libatomic.a','/usr/lib/gcc/aarch64-pc-linux-gnu/13/libatomic.a','/usr/lib/gcc/aarch64-pc-linux-gnu/14/libatomic.a')
 			// OpenSUSE paths:
-			#flag -L/usr/lib64/gcc/aarch64-suse-linux/6
-			#flag -L/usr/lib64/gcc/aarch64-suse-linux/7
-			#flag -L/usr/lib64/gcc/aarch64-suse-linux/8
-			#flag -L/usr/lib64/gcc/aarch64-suse-linux/9
-			#flag -L/usr/lib64/gcc/aarch64-suse-linux/10
-			#flag -L/usr/lib64/gcc/aarch64-suse-linux/11
-			#flag -L/usr/lib64/gcc/aarch64-suse-linux/12
-			#flag -L/usr/lib64/gcc/aarch64-suse-linux/13
-			#flag -L/usr/lib64/gcc/aarch64-suse-linux/14
+			#flag $when_first_existing('/usr/lib64/gcc/aarch64-suse-linux/6/libatomic.a','/usr/lib64/gcc/aarch64-suse-linux/7/libatomic.a','/usr/lib64/gcc/aarch64-suse-linux/8/libatomic.a','/usr/lib64/gcc/aarch64-suse-linux/9/libatomic.a','/usr/lib64/gcc/aarch64-suse-linux/10/libatomic.a','/usr/lib64/gcc/aarch64-suse-linux/11/libatomic.a','/usr/lib64/gcc/aarch64-suse-linux/12/libatomic.a','/usr/lib64/gcc/aarch64-suse-linux/13/libatomic.a','/usr/lib64/gcc/aarch64-suse-linux/14/libatomic.a')
+			// ALT Linux paths:
+			#flag $when_first_existing('/usr/lib64/gcc/aarch64-alt-linux/6/libatomic.a','/usr/lib64/gcc/aarch64-alt-linux/7/libatomic.a','/usr/lib64/gcc/aarch64-alt-linux/8/libatomic.a','/usr/lib64/gcc/aarch64-alt-linux/9/libatomic.a','/usr/lib64/gcc/aarch64-alt-linux/10/libatomic.a','/usr/lib64/gcc/aarch64-alt-linux/11/libatomic.a','/usr/lib64/gcc/aarch64-alt-linux/12/libatomic.a','/usr/lib64/gcc/aarch64-alt-linux/13/libatomic.a','/usr/lib64/gcc/aarch64-alt-linux/14/libatomic.a')
+			$if musl ? {
+				// TODO: convert this as well
+				#flag -L/usr/lib/gcc/aarch64-pc-linux-musl/6
+				#flag -L/usr/lib/gcc/aarch64-pc-linux-musl/7
+				#flag -L/usr/lib/gcc/aarch64-pc-linux-musl/8
+				#flag -L/usr/lib/gcc/aarch64-pc-linux-musl/9
+				#flag -L/usr/lib/gcc/aarch64-pc-linux-musl/10
+				#flag -L/usr/lib/gcc/aarch64-pc-linux-musl/11
+				#flag -L/usr/lib/gcc/aarch64-pc-linux-musl/12
+				#flag -L/usr/lib/gcc/aarch64-pc-linux-musl/13
+				#flag -L/usr/lib/gcc/aarch64-pc-linux-musl/14
+				#flag -latomic
+			}
 		}
-		#flag -latomic
 	}
 }