diff --git a/makefile b/makefile
index aeb2fcd..4c111a1 100644
--- a/makefile
+++ b/makefile
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
 #AR= echo
 
 # Unix, generally
-CC = gcc -fpic -pedantic
+CC := $(CC) -fpic -pedantic
 DEBUG=-g -Wall -Wno-char-subscripts -O
 Osuf=o
 SOsuf=so
@@ -27,10 +27,10 @@ EXE_EXT=
 LIBPREFIX=lib
 OUT = -o $@
 RM= -rm -f
-AR= ar crs
+AR := $(AR) crs
 
 # Linux
-LD = gcc
+LD := $(CC)
 LDFLAGS = -shared
 DEBUG=-g -Wno-char-subscripts -O
 SYS_LIBS= -ldl -lm