diff --git a/rules.mk b/rules.mk
index d36c994953..b7257d73cb 100644
--- a/rules.mk
+++ b/rules.mk
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ BUILD_SUFFIX:=$(call qstrip,$(CONFIG_BUILD_SUFFIX))
 GCCV:=$(call qstrip,$(CONFIG_GCC_VERSION))
 SUBDIR:=$(patsubst $(TOPDIR)/%,%,${CURDIR})
 
-OPTIMIZE_FOR_CPU:=$(ARCH)
+OPTIMIZE_FOR_CPU=$(ARCH)
 
 DL_DIR:=$(if $(call qstrip,$(CONFIG_DOWNLOAD_FOLDER)),$(call qstrip,$(CONFIG_DOWNLOAD_FOLDER)),$(TOPDIR)/dl)
 BIN_DIR:=$(TOPDIR)/bin
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ ifeq ($(CONFIG_NATIVE_TOOLCHAIN),)
   -include $(TOOLCHAIN_DIR)/info.mk
   REAL_GNU_TARGET_NAME=$(OPTIMIZE_FOR_CPU)-linux-uclibc
   GNU_TARGET_NAME=$(OPTIMIZE_FOR_CPU)-linux
-  TARGET_CROSS?=$(OPTIMIZE_FOR_CPU)-linux-uclibc-
+  TARGET_CROSS:=$(if $(TARGET_CROSS),$(TARGET_CROSS),$(OPTIMIZE_FOR_CPU)-linux-uclibc-)
 endif
 
 TARGET_PATH:=$(TOOLCHAIN_DIR)/bin:$(STAGING_DIR_HOST)/bin:$(STAGING_DIR)/usr/bin:$(PATH)
diff --git a/toolchain/uClibc/Makefile b/toolchain/uClibc/Makefile
index 66e94eab25..08f267001b 100644
--- a/toolchain/uClibc/Makefile
+++ b/toolchain/uClibc/Makefile
@@ -64,10 +64,11 @@ define Build/Configure
 endef
 
 UCLIBC_MAKE := PATH=$(TARGET_PATH) $(MAKE) -C $(PKG_BUILD_DIR) \
-		DEVEL_PREFIX=/ \
-		RUNTIME_PREFIX=/ \
-		HOSTCC="$(HOSTCC)" \
-		CPU_CFLAGS="$(TARGET_CFLAGS)"
+	$(TARGET_CONFIGURE_OPTS) \
+	DEVEL_PREFIX=/ \
+	RUNTIME_PREFIX=/ \
+	HOSTCC="$(HOSTCC)" \
+	CPU_CFLAGS="$(TARGET_CFLAGS)"
 
 define Build/Compile
 	$(SED) 's,^CROSS=.*,CROSS=$(TARGET_CROSS),g' $(PKG_BUILD_DIR)/Rules.mak