diff --git a/nios_config.mk b/nios_config.mk
index 1cf0f32..3ed7170 100644
--- a/nios_config.mk
+++ b/nios_config.mk
@@ -22,4 +22,6 @@
 # MA 02111-1307 USA
 #
 
+CROSS_COMPILE ?= nios-elf-
+
 PLATFORM_CPPFLAGS += -m32 -DCONFIG_NIOS -D__NIOS__ -ffixed-g7 -gstabs