diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 5f89db2..65425b4 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 # OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN
 # THE SOFTWARE.
 
+CC = gcc
 CFLAGS = `pkg-config lua5.1 --cflags` -fPIC -O3 -Wall
 LFLAGS = -shared `pkg-config --libs --cflags libzmq`
 INSTALL_PATH = `pkg-config lua5.1 --variable=INSTALL_CMOD`
@@ -27,11 +28,11 @@ all: zmq.so
 
 
 zmq.lo: zmq.c
-	gcc -o zmq.lo -c $(CFLAGS) zmq.c
+	$(CC) -o zmq.lo -c $(CFLAGS) zmq.c
 
 
 zmq.so: zmq.lo
-	gcc -o zmq.so $(LFLAGS) zmq.lo
+	$(CC) -o zmq.so $(LFLAGS) zmq.lo
 
 
 install: zmq.so