diff --git a/Makefile.common b/Makefile.common
index 893e8d6d79e..09f79b23ba1 100644
--- a/Makefile.common
+++ b/Makefile.common
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ LDFLAGS += \
 VERBOSE = 0
 
 ifneq ($(HOST_CXX),)
-    CXX = g++
+    CXX = $(PRE_CXX) g++
     AS = as
     LINK = ld
     OBJ_SUFFIX ?= .host