diff --git a/tools/cert_create/Makefile b/tools/cert_create/Makefile
index 8a21649..efd1f25 100644
--- a/tools/cert_create/Makefile
+++ b/tools/cert_create/Makefile
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@
 LIB_DIR := -L ${OPENSSL_DIR}/lib
 LIB := -lssl -lcrypto
 
-CC := gcc
+HOSTCC ?= gcc
 
 .PHONY: all clean realclean
 
@@ -75,11 +75,11 @@
 	@echo 'const char build_msg[] = "Built : "__TIME__", "__DATE__; \
                 const char platform_msg[] = "${PLAT_MSG}";' | \
                 ${CC} -c ${CFLAGS} -xc - -o src/build_msg.o
-	${Q}${CC} src/build_msg.o ${OBJECTS} ${LIB_DIR} ${LIB} -o $@
+	${Q}${HOSTCC} src/build_msg.o ${OBJECTS} ${LIB_DIR} ${LIB} -o $@
 
 %.o: %.c
 	@echo "  CC      $<"
-	${Q}${CC} -c ${CFLAGS} ${INC_DIR} $< -o $@
+	${Q}${HOSTCC} -c ${CFLAGS} ${INC_DIR} $< -o $@
 
 clean:
 	$(call SHELL_DELETE_ALL, src/build_msg.o ${OBJECTS})
diff --git a/tools/fiptool/Makefile b/tools/fiptool/Makefile
index 29eac2a..ee674b7 100644
--- a/tools/fiptool/Makefile
+++ b/tools/fiptool/Makefile
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@
 
 INCLUDE_PATHS := -I. -I../../include/tools_share
 
-CC := gcc
+HOSTCC ?= gcc
 
 .PHONY: all clean distclean
 
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@
 
 ${PROJECT}: ${OBJECTS} Makefile
 	@echo "  LD      $@"
-	${Q}${CC} ${OBJECTS} -o $@ ${LDLIBS}
+	${Q}${HOSTCC} ${OBJECTS} -o $@ ${LDLIBS}
 	@${ECHO_BLANK_LINE}
 	@echo "Built $@ successfully"
 	@${ECHO_BLANK_LINE}
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@
 
 %.o: %.c %.h Makefile
 	@echo "  CC      $<"
-	${Q}${CC} -c ${CPPFLAGS} ${CFLAGS} ${INCLUDE_PATHS} $< -o $@
+	${Q}${HOSTCC} -c ${CPPFLAGS} ${CFLAGS} ${INCLUDE_PATHS} $< -o $@
 
 clean:
 	$(call SHELL_DELETE_ALL, ${PROJECT} ${OBJECTS} fip_create)