diff --git a/js/src/shell/Makefile.in b/js/src/shell/Makefile.in
index ff278570d27..c321bd8d3e8 100644
--- a/js/src/shell/Makefile.in
+++ b/js/src/shell/Makefile.in
@@ -18,6 +18,13 @@ CPPSRCS		= \
   jsheaptools.cpp \
   $(NULL)
 
+ifdef _MSC_VER
+# unnecessary PGO for js shell.  But gcc cannot turn off pgo because it is
+# necessary to link PGO lib on gcc when a object/static lib are compiled
+# for PGO.
+NO_PROFILE_GUIDED_OPTIMIZE := 1
+endif
+
 DEFINES         += -DEXPORT_JS_API
 # Building against js_static requires that we declare mfbt sybols "exported"
 # on its behalf.