diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 8becf0947..36545d500 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -391,7 +391,7 @@ dpkg: ../scst_$(VERSION).orig.tar.gz
 	else								\
 	  buildopts+=(-j4);						\
 	fi &&								\
-	DEB_KVER_SET=$(KVER) DEB_KDIR_SET=$(KDIR) debuild "$${buildopts[@]}" --lintian-opts --profile debian && \
+	DEB_CC_SET="$(CC)" DEB_KVER_SET=$(KVER) DEB_KDIR_SET=$(KDIR) debuild "$${buildopts[@]}" --lintian-opts --profile debian && \
 	mkdir -p dpkg &&						\
 	for f in "$${output_files[@]}" ../scst_$(VERSION).orig.tar.[gx]z; do\
 		mv $$f dpkg || true;					\
diff --git a/debian/rules b/debian/rules
index af061fb37..efd2cf134 100755
--- a/debian/rules
+++ b/debian/rules
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ VERSION:=$(shell head -n1 debian/changelog | sed 's/.*(\([0-9.]*\).*).*/\1/')
 # an intermediary. Also, export variables for sub-makes to be able to see them.
 export KVER=$(DEB_KVER_SET)
 export KDIR=$(DEB_KDIR_SET)
+export CC=$(DEB_CC_SET)
 
 %:
 	echo "*** dh $@ ***"