diff --git a/package/lirc-tools/lirc-tools.mk b/package/lirc-tools/lirc-tools.mk
index 5263330741..a3ad6bd5a0 100644
--- a/package/lirc-tools/lirc-tools.mk
+++ b/package/lirc-tools/lirc-tools.mk
@@ -48,7 +48,9 @@ endif
 
 ifeq ($(BR2_PACKAGE_PYTHON3),y)
 LIRC_TOOLS_DEPENDENCIES += python3 host-python-setuptools
-LIRC_TOOLS_MAKE_ENV += SETUPTOOLS_ENV='$(PKG_PYTHON_SETUPTOOLS_ENV)'
+LIRC_TOOLS_MAKE_ENV += \
+	CC="$(TARGET_CC)" \
+	SETUPTOOLS_ENV='$(PKG_PYTHON_SETUPTOOLS_ENV)'
 endif
 
 define LIRC_TOOLS_INSTALL_INIT_SYSV