--- a/build/templates.mozbuild
+++ b/build/templates.mozbuild
@@ -145,11 +145,15 @@ def HostRustLibrary(name, features=None)
 
     if features:
         HOST_RUST_LIBRARY_FEATURES = features
 
 @template
 def DisableStlWrapping():
     COMPILE_FLAGS['STL'] = []
 
+@template
+def NoVisibilityFlags():
+    COMPILE_FLAGS['VISIBILITY'] = []
+
 
 include('gecko_templates.mozbuild')
 include('test_templates.mozbuild')

--- a/config/config.mk
+++ b/config/config.mk
@@ -323,18 +323,18 @@ endif # CLANG_CL
 
 # Use warnings-as-errors if ALLOW_COMPILER_WARNINGS is not set to 1 (which
 # includes the case where it's undefined).
 ifneq (1,$(ALLOW_COMPILER_WARNINGS))
 CXXFLAGS += $(WARNINGS_AS_ERRORS)
 CFLAGS   += $(WARNINGS_AS_ERRORS)
 endif # ALLOW_COMPILER_WARNINGS
 
-COMPILE_CFLAGS	= $(VISIBILITY_FLAGS) $(DEFINES) $(INCLUDES) $(OS_INCLUDES) $(DSO_CFLAGS) $(DSO_PIC_CFLAGS) $(RTL_FLAGS) $(OS_COMPILE_CFLAGS) $(_DEPEND_CFLAGS) $(CFLAGS) $(MOZBUILD_CFLAGS) $(MK_COMPILE_DEFINES)
-COMPILE_CXXFLAGS = $(COMPUTED_CXXFLAGS) $(VISIBILITY_FLAGS) $(DEFINES) $(INCLUDES) $(OS_INCLUDES) $(DSO_CFLAGS) $(DSO_PIC_CFLAGS) $(RTL_FLAGS) $(OS_COMPILE_CXXFLAGS) $(_DEPEND_CFLAGS) $(CXXFLAGS) $(MOZBUILD_CXXFLAGS) $(MK_COMPILE_DEFINES)
+COMPILE_CFLAGS	= $(COMPUTED_CFLAGS) $(DEFINES) $(INCLUDES) $(OS_INCLUDES) $(DSO_CFLAGS) $(DSO_PIC_CFLAGS) $(RTL_FLAGS) $(OS_COMPILE_CFLAGS) $(_DEPEND_CFLAGS) $(CFLAGS) $(MOZBUILD_CFLAGS) $(MK_COMPILE_DEFINES)
+COMPILE_CXXFLAGS = $(COMPUTED_CXXFLAGS) $(DEFINES) $(INCLUDES) $(OS_INCLUDES) $(DSO_CFLAGS) $(DSO_PIC_CFLAGS) $(RTL_FLAGS) $(OS_COMPILE_CXXFLAGS) $(_DEPEND_CFLAGS) $(CXXFLAGS) $(MOZBUILD_CXXFLAGS) $(MK_COMPILE_DEFINES)
 COMPILE_CMFLAGS = $(OS_COMPILE_CMFLAGS) $(MOZBUILD_CMFLAGS)
 COMPILE_CMMFLAGS = $(OS_COMPILE_CMMFLAGS) $(MOZBUILD_CMMFLAGS)
 ASFLAGS += $(MOZBUILD_ASFLAGS)
 
 ifndef CROSS_COMPILE
 HOST_CFLAGS += $(RTL_FLAGS)
 endif
 

--- a/python/mozbuild/mozbuild/compilation/database.py
+++ b/python/mozbuild/mozbuild/compilation/database.py
@@ -66,17 +66,17 @@ class CompileDBBackend(CommonBackend):
 
         consumed = CommonBackend.consume_object(self, obj)
 
         if consumed:
             return True
 
         if isinstance(obj, DirectoryTraversal):
             self._envs[obj.objdir] = obj.config
-            for var in ('VISIBILITY_FLAGS', 'WARNINGS_AS_ERRORS'):
+            for var in ('WARNINGS_AS_ERRORS',):
                 value = obj.config.substs.get(var)
                 if value:
                     self._local_flags[obj.objdir][var] = value
 
         elif isinstance(obj, (Sources, GeneratedSources)):
             # For other sources, include each source file.
             for f in obj.files:
                 self._build_db_line(obj.objdir, obj.relativedir, obj.config, f,
@@ -98,17 +98,17 @@ class CompileDBBackend(CommonBackend):
                     self._extra_includes[obj.objdir].append(
                         self._dist_include_testing)
 
         elif isinstance(obj, VariablePassthru):
             if obj.variables.get('IS_GYP_DIR'):
                 self._gyp_dirs.add(obj.objdir)
             for var in ('MOZBUILD_CFLAGS', 'MOZBUILD_CXXFLAGS',
                         'MOZBUILD_CMFLAGS', 'MOZBUILD_CMMFLAGS',
-                        'RTL_FLAGS', 'VISIBILITY_FLAGS'):
+                        'RTL_FLAGS'):
                 if var in obj.variables:
                     self._local_flags[obj.objdir][var] = obj.variables[var]
             if (obj.variables.get('ALLOW_COMPILER_WARNINGS') and
                     'WARNINGS_AS_ERRORS' in self._local_flags[obj.objdir]):
                 del self._local_flags[obj.objdir]['WARNINGS_AS_ERRORS']
 
         elif isinstance(obj, PerSourceFlag):
             self._per_source_flags[obj.file_name].extend(obj.flags)
@@ -231,21 +231,19 @@ class CompileDBBackend(CommonBackend):
         def append_var(name):
             value = cenv.substs.get(name)
             if not value:
                 return
             if isinstance(value, types.StringTypes):
                 value = value.split()
             db.extend(value)
 
-        if canonical_suffix in ('.mm', '.cpp'):
-            db.append('$(COMPUTED_CXXFLAGS)')
+        db.append('$(COMPUTED_%s)' % self.CFLAGS[canonical_suffix])
 
         db.extend((
-            '$(VISIBILITY_FLAGS)',
             '$(DEFINES)',
             '-I%s' % mozpath.join(cenv.topsrcdir, reldir),
             '-I%s' % objdir,
             '$(LOCAL_INCLUDES)',
             '-I%s/dist/include' % cenv.topobjdir,
             '$(EXTRA_INCLUDES)',
         ))
         append_var('DSO_CFLAGS')

--- a/python/mozbuild/mozbuild/frontend/context.py
+++ b/python/mozbuild/mozbuild/frontend/context.py
@@ -296,16 +296,18 @@ class InitializedDefines(ContextDerivedV
         if value:
             self.update(value)
 
 
 class CompileFlags(ContextDerivedValue, dict):
     def __init__(self, context):
         self.flag_variables = (
             ('STL', context.config.substs.get('STL_FLAGS'), ('CXXFLAGS',)),
+            ('VISIBILITY', context.config.substs.get('VISIBILITY_FLAGS'),
+             ('CXXFLAGS', 'CFLAGS')),
         )
         self._known_keys = set(k for k, v, _ in self.flag_variables)
 
         dict.__init__(self,
                       ((k, TypedList(unicode)(v)) for k, v, _ in self.flag_variables))
 
     def __setitem__(self, key, value):
         if key not in self._known_keys:

--- a/python/mozbuild/mozbuild/frontend/emitter.py
+++ b/python/mozbuild/mozbuild/frontend/emitter.py
@@ -930,20 +930,16 @@ class TreeMetadataEmitter(LoggingMixin):
                 for dll in context['DELAYLOAD_DLLS']])
             context['OS_LIBS'].append('delayimp')
 
         for v in ['CFLAGS', 'CXXFLAGS', 'CMFLAGS', 'CMMFLAGS', 'ASFLAGS',
                   'LDFLAGS', 'HOST_CFLAGS', 'HOST_CXXFLAGS']:
             if v in context and context[v]:
                 passthru.variables['MOZBUILD_' + v] = context[v]
 
-        # NO_VISIBILITY_FLAGS is slightly different
-        if context['NO_VISIBILITY_FLAGS']:
-            passthru.variables['VISIBILITY_FLAGS'] = ''
-
         if isinstance(context, TemplateContext) and context.template == 'Gyp':
             passthru.variables['IS_GYP_DIR'] = True
 
         dist_install = context['DIST_INSTALL']
         if dist_install is True:
             passthru.variables['DIST_INSTALL'] = True
         elif dist_install is False:
             passthru.variables['NO_DIST_INSTALL'] = True

--- a/python/mozbuild/mozbuild/test/backend/data/variable_passthru/moz.build
+++ b/python/mozbuild/mozbuild/test/backend/data/variable_passthru/moz.build
@@ -1,14 +1,12 @@
 # -*- Mode: python; indent-tabs-mode: nil; tab-width: 40 -*-
 # Any copyright is dedicated to the Public Domain.
 # http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/
 
-NO_VISIBILITY_FLAGS = True
-
 DELAYLOAD_DLLS = ['foo.dll', 'bar.dll']
 
 RCFILE = 'foo.rc'
 RESFILE = 'bar.res'
 RCINCLUDE = 'bar.rc'
 DEFFILE = 'baz.def'
 
 CFLAGS += ['-fno-exceptions', '-w']

--- a/python/mozbuild/mozbuild/test/backend/test_recursivemake.py
+++ b/python/mozbuild/mozbuild/test/backend/test_recursivemake.py
@@ -314,19 +314,16 @@ class TestRecursiveMakeBackend(BackendTe
 
         backend_path = mozpath.join(env.topobjdir, 'backend.mk')
         lines = [l.strip() for l in open(backend_path, 'rt').readlines()[2:]]
 
         expected = {
             'ALLOW_COMPILER_WARNINGS': [
                 'ALLOW_COMPILER_WARNINGS := 1',
             ],
-            'VISIBILITY_FLAGS': [
-                'VISIBILITY_FLAGS :=',
-            ],
             'RCFILE': [
                 'RCFILE := foo.rc',
             ],
             'RESFILE': [
                 'RESFILE := bar.res',
             ],
             'RCINCLUDE': [
                 'RCINCLUDE := bar.rc',

--- a/python/mozbuild/mozbuild/test/frontend/data/variable-passthru/moz.build
+++ b/python/mozbuild/mozbuild/test/frontend/data/variable-passthru/moz.build
@@ -1,16 +1,14 @@
 # -*- Mode: python; indent-tabs-mode: nil; tab-width: 40 -*-
 # Any copyright is dedicated to the Public Domain.
 # http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/
 
 DIST_INSTALL = False
 
-NO_VISIBILITY_FLAGS = True
-
 DELAYLOAD_DLLS = ['foo.dll', 'bar.dll']
 
 RCFILE = 'foo.rc'
 RESFILE = 'bar.res'
 RCINCLUDE = 'bar.rc'
 DEFFILE = 'baz.def'
 
 CFLAGS += ['-fno-exceptions', '-w']

new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/python/mozbuild/mozbuild/test/frontend/data/visibility-flags/moz.build
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+# Any copyright is dedicated to the Public Domain.
+# http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/
+
+@template
+def Library(name):
+    '''Template for libraries.'''
+    LIBRARY_NAME = name
+
+Library('dummy')
+
+@template
+def NoVisibilityFlags():
+    COMPILE_FLAGS['VISIBILITY'] = []
+
+UNIFIED_SOURCES += ['test1.c']
+
+NoVisibilityFlags()

new file mode 100644

--- a/python/mozbuild/mozbuild/test/frontend/test_emitter.py
+++ b/python/mozbuild/mozbuild/test/frontend/test_emitter.py
@@ -72,16 +72,19 @@ class TestEmitterBasic(unittest.TestCase
         os.environ.update(self._old_env)
 
     def reader(self, name, enable_tests=False, extra_substs=None):
         substs = dict(
             ENABLE_TESTS='1' if enable_tests else '',
             BIN_SUFFIX='.prog',
             OS_TARGET='WINNT',
             COMPILE_ENVIRONMENT='1',
+            STL_FLAGS=['-I/path/to/topobjdir/dist/stl_wrappers'],
+            VISIBILITY_FLAGS=['-include',
+                              '$(topsrcdir)/config/gcc_hidden.h'],
         )
         if extra_substs:
             substs.update(extra_substs)
         config = MockConfig(mozpath.join(data_path, name), extra_substs=substs)
 
         return BuildReader(config)
 
     def read_topsrcdir(self, reader, filter_common=True):
@@ -177,17 +180,16 @@ class TestEmitterBasic(unittest.TestCase
         objs = self.read_topsrcdir(reader)
 
         self.assertEqual(len(objs), 1)
         self.assertIsInstance(objs[0], VariablePassthru)
 
         wanted = {
             'ALLOW_COMPILER_WARNINGS': True,
             'NO_DIST_INSTALL': True,
-            'VISIBILITY_FLAGS': '',
             'RCFILE': 'foo.rc',
             'RESFILE': 'bar.res',
             'RCINCLUDE': 'bar.rc',
             'DEFFILE': 'baz.def',
             'MOZBUILD_CFLAGS': ['-fno-exceptions', '-w'],
             'MOZBUILD_CXXFLAGS': ['-fcxx-exceptions', '-include foo.h'],
             'MOZBUILD_LDFLAGS': ['-framework Foo', '-x', '-DELAYLOAD:foo.dll',
                                  '-DELAYLOAD:bar.dll'],
@@ -199,41 +201,45 @@ class TestEmitterBasic(unittest.TestCase
 
         variables = objs[0].variables
         maxDiff = self.maxDiff
         self.maxDiff = None
         self.assertEqual(wanted, variables)
         self.maxDiff = maxDiff
 
     def test_compile_flags(self):
-        reader = self.reader('compile-flags',
-                             extra_substs={'STL_FLAGS': ['-I/path/to/objdir/dist/stl_wrappers']})
+        reader = self.reader('compile-flags')
         sources, flags, lib = self.read_topsrcdir(reader)
         self.assertIsInstance(flags, ComputedFlags)
         self.assertEqual(flags.flags['STL'], reader.config.substs['STL_FLAGS'])
+        self.assertEqual(flags.flags['VISIBILITY'], reader.config.substs['VISIBILITY_FLAGS'])
 
     def test_compile_flags_validation(self):
         reader = self.reader('compile-flags-field-validation')
 
         with self.assertRaisesRegexp(BuildReaderError, 'Invalid value.'):
             self.read_topsrcdir(reader)
 
         reader = self.reader('compile-flags-type-validation')
         with self.assertRaisesRegexp(BuildReaderError,
                                      'A list of strings must be provided'):
             self.read_topsrcdir(reader)
 
-
     def test_disable_stl_wrapping(self):
-        reader = self.reader('disable-stl-wrapping',
-                             extra_substs={'STL_FLAGS': ['-I/path/to/objdir/dist/stl_wrappers']})
+        reader = self.reader('disable-stl-wrapping')
         sources, flags, lib = self.read_topsrcdir(reader)
         self.assertIsInstance(flags, ComputedFlags)
         self.assertEqual(flags.flags['STL'], [])
 
+    def test_visibility_flags(self):
+        reader = self.reader('visibility-flags')
+        sources, flags, lib = self.read_topsrcdir(reader)
+        self.assertIsInstance(flags, ComputedFlags)
+        self.assertEqual(flags.flags['VISIBILITY'], [])
+
     def test_use_yasm(self):
         # When yasm is not available, this should raise.
         reader = self.reader('use-yasm')
         with self.assertRaisesRegexp(SandboxValidationError,
             'yasm is not available'):
             self.read_topsrcdir(reader)
 
         # When yasm is available, this should work.