diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 107f3c81e7..d8f9cc8fab 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ endif
 # Disable implicit/built-in rules to make Makefile errors fail fast.
 .SUFFIXES:
 
-HOSTCC := gcc
+HOSTCC := $(if $(shell type gcc 2>/dev/null), gcc, cc)
 HOSTCXX = g++
 HOSTCFLAGS := -g
 HOSTCXXFLAGS := -g