--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 # Unix gcc or DOS go32 cross-compiling gcc
 #
-CC = gcc
-LD = gcc
+CC ?= gcc
+LD = $(CC)
 # for testing. not to be used; build failures in misc/.
 #CFLAGS = -O2 -W -Wall -pedantic -ansi
 #CFLAGS = -O2 -g
-CFLAGS = -O2 
-LDFLAGS = -lc
+CFLAGS ?= -O2
+LDFLAGS ?= -lc
 
 # for DOS?
 # CC = gcc-go32
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
 #CFLAGS =
 #LD = ld
 
-DESTDIR = /usr/local
+DESTDIR ?= /usr/local
 
 BINDIR = $(DESTDIR)/bin
 MANDIR = $(DESTDIR)/share/man/man1
