diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 6625becb..644664d5 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 $(LD) ?= $(CC)
 TARGET ?= PicoDrive
 CFLAGS += -I.
+HOST_CC ?= gcc
+HOST_CXX ?= g++
 
 ifneq ("$(PLATFORM)", "libretro")
 	CFLAGS += -Wall -g
diff --git a/platform/common/common.mak b/platform/common/common.mak
index 89e46051..d66e8b14 100644
--- a/platform/common/common.mak
+++ b/platform/common/common.mak
@@ -181,7 +181,7 @@ $(FR)cpu/cyclone/Cyclone.h:
 
 $(FR)cpu/cyclone/Cyclone.s: $(FR)cpu/$(CYCLONE_CONFIG)
 	@echo building Cyclone...
-	@make -C $(R)cpu/cyclone/ CONFIG_FILE=../$(CYCLONE_CONFIG)
+	@make CC=$(HOST_CC) CXX=$(HOST_CXX) -C $(R)cpu/cyclone/ CONFIG_FILE=../$(CYCLONE_CONFIG)
 
 $(FR)cpu/cyclone/Cyclone.s: $(FR)cpu/cyclone/*.cpp $(FR)cpu/cyclone/*.h