diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 51a1d4923..fb668fcc2 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ add_custom_command(
     PREFIX=${CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX}
     LIBDIR=${CMAKE_INSTALL_FULL_LIBDIR}
     INCLUDEDIR=${CMAKE_INSTALL_FULL_INCLUDEDIR}
+    HOST_CC=gcc
     ${CARGO} build --target-dir=${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/target --release
     WORKING_DIRECTORY ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/deltachat-jsonrpc-bindings
 )