diff --git a/is_utf8/Makefile b/is_utf8/Makefile
index 13b1021..f0a111e 100644
--- a/is_utf8/Makefile
+++ b/is_utf8/Makefile
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ LINKERNAME = lib$(NAME).so
 SONAME = $(LINKERNAME).$(VERSION)
 REALNAME = $(SONAME).$(MINOR).$(RELEASE)
 
-CC = gcc
+CC ?= gcc
 CFLAGS ?= -O3 -Wextra -Wall -ansi -Wstrict-prototypes
 
 $(NAME): $(OBJ)