diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index fa872453..450b8faa 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ then
     # are not the same, we set reasonable default values for the tools.
 
     CC_FOR_BUILD=${CC_FOR_BUILD-gcc}
-    CPPFLAGS_FOR_BUILD="\$(CPPFLAGS)"
+    CPPFLAGS_FOR_BUILD=${CPPFLAGS_FOR_BUILD-"\$(CPPFLAGS)"}
     CC=${CC-${host_alias}-gcc}
     CFLAGS=${CFLAGS-"-g -O2"}
     CXX=${CXX-${host_alias}-c++}
diff --git a/src/Makefile.am b/src/Makefile.am
index f5c7cc9a..52634b84 100644
--- a/src/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/Makefile.am
@@ -395,43 +395,43 @@ noinst_HEADERS = cielab_luts.h \
                  v34_tables.h
 
 make_at_dictionary$(EXEEXT): $(top_srcdir)/src/make_at_dictionary.c
-	$(CC_FOR_BUILD) -o make_at_dictionary$(EXEEXT) $(top_srcdir)/src/make_at_dictionary.c -DHAVE_CONFIG_H -I$(top_builddir)/src
+	$(CC_FOR_BUILD) -o make_at_dictionary$(EXEEXT) $(top_srcdir)/src/make_at_dictionary.c $(CPPFLAGS_FOR_BUILD) -DHAVE_CONFIG_H -I$(top_builddir)/src
 
 make_cielab_luts$(EXEEXT): $(top_srcdir)/src/make_cielab_luts.c
-	$(CC_FOR_BUILD) -o make_cielab_luts$(EXEEXT) $(top_srcdir)/src/make_cielab_luts.c -DHAVE_CONFIG_H -I$(top_builddir)/src -lm
+	$(CC_FOR_BUILD) -o make_cielab_luts$(EXEEXT) $(top_srcdir)/src/make_cielab_luts.c $(CPPFLAGS_FOR_BUILD) -DHAVE_CONFIG_H -I$(top_builddir)/src -lm
 
 make_math_fixed_tables$(EXEEXT): $(top_srcdir)/src/make_math_fixed_tables.c
-	$(CC_FOR_BUILD) -o make_math_fixed_tables$(EXEEXT) $(top_srcdir)/src/make_math_fixed_tables.c -DHAVE_CONFIG_H -I$(top_builddir)/src -lm
+	$(CC_FOR_BUILD) -o make_math_fixed_tables$(EXEEXT) $(top_srcdir)/src/make_math_fixed_tables.c $(CPPFLAGS_FOR_BUILD) -DHAVE_CONFIG_H -I$(top_builddir)/src -lm
 
 make_modem_filter$(EXEEXT): $(top_srcdir)/src/make_modem_filter.c $(top_srcdir)/src/filter_tools.c
-	$(CC_FOR_BUILD) -o make_modem_filter$(EXEEXT) $(top_srcdir)/src/make_modem_filter.c $(top_srcdir)/src/filter_tools.c -DHAVE_CONFIG_H -I$(top_builddir)/src -lm
+	$(CC_FOR_BUILD) -o make_modem_filter$(EXEEXT) $(top_srcdir)/src/make_modem_filter.c $(top_srcdir)/src/filter_tools.c $(CPPFLAGS_FOR_BUILD) -DHAVE_CONFIG_H -I$(top_builddir)/src -lm
 
 make_modem_godard_descriptor$(EXEEXT): $(top_srcdir)/src/make_modem_godard_descriptor.c $(top_srcdir)/src/filter_tools.c
-	$(CC_FOR_BUILD) -o make_modem_godard_descriptor$(EXEEXT) $(top_srcdir)/src/make_modem_godard_descriptor.c $(top_srcdir)/src/filter_tools.c -DHAVE_CONFIG_H -I$(top_builddir)/src -lm
+	$(CC_FOR_BUILD) -o make_modem_godard_descriptor$(EXEEXT) $(top_srcdir)/src/make_modem_godard_descriptor.c $(top_srcdir)/src/filter_tools.c $(CPPFLAGS_FOR_BUILD) -DHAVE_CONFIG_H -I$(top_builddir)/src -lm
 
 make_t43_gray_code_tables$(EXEEXT): $(top_srcdir)/src/make_t43_gray_code_tables.c
-	$(CC_FOR_BUILD) -o make_t43_gray_code_tables$(EXEEXT) $(top_srcdir)/src/make_t43_gray_code_tables.c -DHAVE_CONFIG_H -I$(top_builddir)/src -lm
+	$(CC_FOR_BUILD) -o make_t43_gray_code_tables$(EXEEXT) $(top_srcdir)/src/make_t43_gray_code_tables.c $(CPPFLAGS_FOR_BUILD) -DHAVE_CONFIG_H -I$(top_builddir)/src -lm
 
 make_v17_v32_constellation_map$(EXEEXT): $(top_srcdir)/src/make_v17_v32_constellation_map.c $(top_srcdir)/src/g711.c $(top_srcdir)/src/alloc.c
-	$(CC_FOR_BUILD) -o make_v17_v32_constellation_map$(EXEEXT) $(top_srcdir)/src/make_v17_v32_constellation_map.c $(top_srcdir)/src/g711.c $(top_srcdir)/src/alloc.c -DHAVE_CONFIG_H -I$(top_builddir)/src -lm
+	$(CC_FOR_BUILD) -o make_v17_v32_constellation_map$(EXEEXT) $(top_srcdir)/src/make_v17_v32_constellation_map.c $(top_srcdir)/src/g711.c $(top_srcdir)/src/alloc.c $(CPPFLAGS_FOR_BUILD) -DHAVE_CONFIG_H -I$(top_builddir)/src -lm
 
 make_v17_v32_convolutional_encoder$(EXEEXT): $(top_srcdir)/src/make_v17_v32_convolutional_encoder.c $(top_srcdir)/src/g711.c $(top_srcdir)/src/alloc.c
-	$(CC_FOR_BUILD) -o make_v17_v32_convolutional_encoder$(EXEEXT) $(top_srcdir)/src/make_v17_v32_convolutional_encoder.c $(top_srcdir)/src/g711.c $(top_srcdir)/src/alloc.c -DHAVE_CONFIG_H -I$(top_builddir)/src -lm
+	$(CC_FOR_BUILD) -o make_v17_v32_convolutional_encoder$(EXEEXT) $(top_srcdir)/src/make_v17_v32_convolutional_encoder.c $(top_srcdir)/src/g711.c $(top_srcdir)/src/alloc.c $(CPPFLAGS_FOR_BUILD) -DHAVE_CONFIG_H -I$(top_builddir)/src -lm
 
 make_v29_constellation_map$(EXEEXT): $(top_srcdir)/src/make_v29_constellation_map.c $(top_srcdir)/src/g711.c $(top_srcdir)/src/alloc.c
-	$(CC_FOR_BUILD) -o make_v29_constellation_map$(EXEEXT) $(top_srcdir)/src/make_v29_constellation_map.c $(top_srcdir)/src/g711.c $(top_srcdir)/src/alloc.c -DHAVE_CONFIG_H -I$(top_builddir)/src -lm
+	$(CC_FOR_BUILD) -o make_v29_constellation_map$(EXEEXT) $(top_srcdir)/src/make_v29_constellation_map.c $(top_srcdir)/src/g711.c $(top_srcdir)/src/alloc.c $(CPPFLAGS_FOR_BUILD) -DHAVE_CONFIG_H -I$(top_builddir)/src -lm
 
 make_v34_convolutional_coders$(EXEEXT): $(top_srcdir)/src/make_v34_convolutional_coders.c
-	$(CC_FOR_BUILD) -o make_v34_convolutional_coders$(EXEEXT) $(top_srcdir)/src/make_v34_convolutional_coders.c -DHAVE_CONFIG_H -I$(top_builddir)/src -lm
+	$(CC_FOR_BUILD) -o make_v34_convolutional_coders$(EXEEXT) $(top_srcdir)/src/make_v34_convolutional_coders.c $(CPPFLAGS_FOR_BUILD) -DHAVE_CONFIG_H -I$(top_builddir)/src -lm
 
 make_v34_probe_signals$(EXEEXT): $(top_srcdir)/src/make_v34_probe_signals.c $(top_srcdir)/src/g711.c $(top_srcdir)/src/alloc.c
-	$(CC_FOR_BUILD) -o make_v34_probe_signals$(EXEEXT) $(top_srcdir)/src/make_v34_probe_signals.c $(top_srcdir)/src/g711.c $(top_srcdir)/src/alloc.c -DHAVE_CONFIG_H -I$(top_builddir)/src -lm
+	$(CC_FOR_BUILD) -o make_v34_probe_signals$(EXEEXT) $(top_srcdir)/src/make_v34_probe_signals.c $(top_srcdir)/src/g711.c $(top_srcdir)/src/alloc.c $(CPPFLAGS_FOR_BUILD) -DHAVE_CONFIG_H -I$(top_builddir)/src -lm
 
 make_v34_shell_map$(EXEEXT): $(top_srcdir)/src/make_v34_shell_map.c
 	$(CC_FOR_BUILD) -o make_v34_shell_map$(EXEEXT) $(top_srcdir)/src/make_v34_shell_map.c -DHAVE_CONFIG_H -I$(top_builddir)/src
 
 make_v34_tx_pre_emphasis_filters$(EXEEXT): $(top_srcdir)/src/make_v34_tx_pre_emphasis_filters.c $(top_srcdir)/tools/meteor-engine.c
-	$(CC_FOR_BUILD) -o make_v34_tx_pre_emphasis_filters$(EXEEXT) $(top_srcdir)/src/make_v34_tx_pre_emphasis_filters.c $(top_srcdir)/tools/meteor-engine.c -DHAVE_CONFIG_H -I$(top_builddir)/src -I$(top_builddir)/tools -lm
+	$(CC_FOR_BUILD) -o make_v34_tx_pre_emphasis_filters$(EXEEXT) $(top_srcdir)/src/make_v34_tx_pre_emphasis_filters.c $(top_srcdir)/tools/meteor-engine.c $(CPPFLAGS_FOR_BUILD) -DHAVE_CONFIG_H -I$(top_builddir)/src -I$(top_builddir)/tools -lm
 
 # We need to run make_at_dictionary, so it generates the
 # at_interpreter_dictionary.h file