diff --git a/configure b/configure
index 98156e7..52ff4a0 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -167,8 +167,14 @@ extern int getchar();
 int hello() {return getchar();}
 EOF
 
-test -z "$CC" && echo Checking for ${CROSS_PREFIX}gcc... | tee -a configure.log
-cc=${CC-${CROSS_PREFIX}gcc}
+if test -z "$CC"; then
+  echo Checking for ${CROSS_PREFIX}gcc... | tee -a configure.log
+  if ${CROSS_PREFIX}gcc -v >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+    cc=${CROSS_PREFIX}gcc
+  else
+    cc=${CROSS_PREFIX}cc
+  fi
+fi
 cflags=${CFLAGS-"-O3"}
 # to force the asm version use: CFLAGS="-O3 -DASMV" ./configure
 case "$cc" in