diff --git a/include/host-build.mk b/include/host-build.mk
index 40af5c87cc..c4fcf94f17 100644
--- a/include/host-build.mk
+++ b/include/host-build.mk
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ endef
 HOST_CONFIGURE_VARS = \
 	CC="$(HOSTCC)" \
 	CFLAGS="$(HOST_CFLAGS)" \
-	CPPFLAGS="$(HOST_CFLAGS)" \
+	CPPFLAGS="$(HOST_CPPFLAGS)" \
 	LDFLAGS="$(HOST_LDFLAGS)" \
 	SHELL="$(BASH)"
 
diff --git a/rules.mk b/rules.mk
index b7bad1ca54..995852e09b 100644
--- a/rules.mk
+++ b/rules.mk
@@ -173,7 +173,8 @@ PKG_CONFIG:=$(STAGING_DIR_HOST)/bin/pkg-config
 export PKG_CONFIG
 
 HOSTCC:=gcc
-HOST_CFLAGS:=-O2 -I$(STAGING_DIR_HOST)/include
+HOST_CPPFLAGS:=-I$(STAGING_DIR_HOST)/include
+HOST_CFLAGS:=-O2 $(HOST_CPPFLAGS)
 HOST_LDFLAGS:=-L$(STAGING_DIR_HOST)/lib
 
 TARGET_CC:=$(TARGET_CROSS)gcc