diff --git a/data/develop/makefile-engine b/data/develop/makefile-engine
index 740d473c9d..569b78a67e 100644
--- a/data/develop/makefile-engine
+++ b/data/develop/makefile-engine
@@ -79,7 +79,9 @@ endif
 	endif
 
 #	set the linker and linker flags
-	LD			?= gcc
+ifeq ($(origin LD), default)
+	LD			:= gcc
+endif
 	LDFLAGS		+= $(DEBUG)
 
 #	SETTING: set linker flags for each binary type