diff --git a/tools/Makefile b/tools/Makefile
index 1c840d7ae2..a894b5c9d2 100644
--- a/tools/Makefile
+++ b/tools/Makefile
@@ -262,7 +262,7 @@ $(LOGO_DATA_H):	$(obj)/bmp_logo $(LOGO_BMP)
 subdir- += env
 
 ifneq ($(CROSS_BUILD_TOOLS),)
-HOSTCC = $(CC)
+override HOSTCC = $(CC)
 
 quiet_cmd_crosstools_strip = STRIP   $^
       cmd_crosstools_strip = $(STRIP) $^; touch $@
diff --git a/tools/env/Makefile b/tools/env/Makefile
index 38ad118d03..95b28c0b3a 100644
--- a/tools/env/Makefile
+++ b/tools/env/Makefile
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 # fw_printenv is supposed to run on the target system, which means it should be
 # built with cross tools. Although it may look weird, we only replace "HOSTCC"
 # with "CC" here for the maximum code reuse of scripts/Makefile.host.
-HOSTCC = $(CC)
+override HOSTCC = $(CC)
 
 # Compile for a hosted environment on the target
 HOST_EXTRACFLAGS  = $(patsubst -I%,-idirafter%, $(filter -I%, $(UBOOTINCLUDE))) \