diff --git a/package/iptables/iptables.mk b/package/iptables/iptables.mk
index 68ddc1a7e..82558e1e4 100644
--- a/package/iptables/iptables.mk
+++ b/package/iptables/iptables.mk
@@ -25,12 +25,12 @@ $(IPTABLES_BUILD_DIR)/.configured: $(IPTABLES_BUILD_DIR)/.unpacked
 	touch $@
 
 $(IPTABLES_BUILD_DIR)/iptables: $(IPTABLES_BUILD_DIR)/.configured
-	$(MAKE) $(TARGET_CONFIGURE_OPTS)  -C $(IPTABLES_BUILD_DIR) \
+	$(MAKE) CC=$(TARGET_CC) -C $(IPTABLES_BUILD_DIR) \
 		KERNEL_DIR=$(LINUX_HEADERS_DIR) PREFIX=/usr \
 		COPT_FLAGS="$(TARGET_CFLAGS)"
 
 $(TARGET_DIR)/usr/sbin/iptables: $(IPTABLES_BUILD_DIR)/iptables
-	$(MAKE) $(TARGET_CONFIGURE_OPTS) -C $(IPTABLES_BUILD_DIR) \
+	$(MAKE) CC=$(TARGET_CC) -C $(IPTABLES_BUILD_DIR) \
 		KERNEL_DIR=$(LINUX_HEADERS_DIR) PREFIX=/usr \
 		COPT_FLAGS="$(TARGET_CFLAGS)" \
 		DESTDIR=$(TARGET_DIR) install