diff --git a/Lib/sysconfig.py b/Lib/sysconfig.py
index efc9a840787..776b2f64045 100644
--- a/Lib/sysconfig.py
+++ b/Lib/sysconfig.py
@@ -368,7 +368,7 @@ def _generate_posix_vars():
     # -- these paths are relative to the Python source, but when installed
     # the scripts are in another directory.
     if _PYTHON_BUILD:
-        vars['LDSHARED'] = vars['BLDSHARED']
+        vars['BLDSHARED'] = vars['LDSHARED']
 
     # There's a chicken-and-egg situation on OS X with regards to the
     # _sysconfigdata module after the changes introduced by #15298:
diff --git a/Misc/NEWS b/Misc/NEWS
index be4635bf55e..5d4ac7504aa 100644
--- a/Misc/NEWS
+++ b/Misc/NEWS
@@ -62,6 +62,9 @@ Core and Builtins
 Library
 -------
 
+- Issue #18235: Fix the sysconfig variables LDSHARED and BLDSHARED under AIX.
+  Patch by David Edelsohn.
+
 - Issue #18606: Add the new "statistics" module (PEP 450).  Contributed
   by Steven D'Aprano.