$(Q)$(SHELL_PATH) util/PERF-VERSION-GEN $(OUTPUT)
$(Q)touch $(OUTPUT)PERF-VERSION-FILE
-CC = $(CROSS_COMPILE)gcc
-LD ?= $(CROSS_COMPILE)ld
-AR = $(CROSS_COMPILE)ar
+# Makefiles suck: This macro sets a default value of $(2) for the
+# variable named by $(1), unless the variable has been set by
+# environment or command line. This is necessary for CC and AR
+# because make sets default values, so the simpler ?= approach
+# won't work as expected.
+define allow-override
+ $(if $(or $(findstring environment,$(origin $(1))),\
+ $(findstring command line,$(origin $(1)))),,\
+ $(eval $(1) = $(2)))
+endef
+
+# Allow setting CC and AR and LD, or setting CROSS_COMPILE as a prefix.
+$(call allow-override,CC,$(CROSS_COMPILE)gcc)
+$(call allow-override,AR,$(CROSS_COMPILE)ar)
+$(call allow-override,LD,$(CROSS_COMPILE)ld)
+
PKG_CONFIG = $(CROSS_COMPILE)pkg-config
RM = rm -f