diff --git a/configure b/configure
index 546caeb60..47e029259 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -4879,8 +4879,8 @@ then
   INSTALL_COMMAND=install_win32
   if test "$cygwin" = "no"
   then
-    CC="gcc  -mno-cygwin"
-    CXX="g++  -mno-cygwin"
+    CC="${CC}  -mno-cygwin"
+    CXX="${CXX}  -mno-cygwin"
 
 { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: checking for main in -lwsock32" >&5
 $as_echo_n "checking for main in -lwsock32... " >&6; }
diff --git a/configure.in b/configure.in
index 357379483..fca33d963 100755
--- a/configure.in
+++ b/configure.in
@@ -516,8 +516,8 @@ then
   INSTALL_COMMAND=install_win32
   if test "$cygwin" = "no"
   then
-    CC="gcc  -mno-cygwin"
-    CXX="g++  -mno-cygwin"
+    CC="${CC}  -mno-cygwin"
+    CXX="${CXX}  -mno-cygwin"
     AC_CHECK_LIB(wsock32,main)
     AC_CHECK_LIB(psapi,main)
     yap_cv_readline=no