diff --git a/projects/unix/Makefile b/projects/unix/Makefile
index 42f11a9..7d28a1f 100755
--- a/projects/unix/Makefile
+++ b/projects/unix/Makefile
@@ -164,8 +164,8 @@ endif
 endif
 
 # set base program pointers and flags
-CC        = $(CROSS_COMPILE)gcc
-CXX       = $(CROSS_COMPILE)g++
+CC       ?= $(CROSS_COMPILE)gcc
+CXX      ?= $(CROSS_COMPILE)g++
 RM       ?= rm -f
 INSTALL  ?= install
 MKDIR ?= mkdir -p