diff --git a/lib/oe/external.py b/lib/oe/external.py
index 60d6dd9..84042bb 100644
--- a/lib/oe/external.py
+++ b/lib/oe/external.py
@@ -10,7 +10,10 @@ def run(d, cmd, *args):
     topdir = d.getVar('TOPDIR')
     toolchain_path = d.getVar('EXTERNAL_TOOLCHAIN')
     if toolchain_path:
-        target_cmd = d.getVar('EXTERNAL_TARGET_SYS') + '-' + cmd
+        if cmd == 'gcc':
+            target_cmd = d.getVar('EXTERNAL_CC') or d.getVar('EXTERNAL_TARGET_SYS') + '-gcc'
+        else:
+            target_cmd = d.getVar('EXTERNAL_TARGET_SYS') + '-' + cmd
         toolchain_bin = d.getVar('EXTERNAL_TOOLCHAIN_BIN')
         path = os.path.join(toolchain_bin, target_cmd)
         args = shlex.split(path) + list(args)