diff --git a/configure b/configure
index ab189067cb..a5676cf15f 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -289,7 +289,6 @@ libs_softmmu=""
 libs_tools=""
 audio_pt_int=""
 audio_win_int=""
-cc_i386=i386-pc-linux-gnu-gcc
 libs_qga=""
 debug_info="yes"
 stack_protector=""
@@ -461,6 +460,8 @@ docker="no"
 # cross compilers defaults, can be overridden with --cross-cc-ARCH
 cross_cc_aarch64="aarch64-linux-gnu-gcc"
 cross_cc_arm="arm-linux-gnueabihf-gcc"
+cross_cc_i386="i386-pc-linux-gnu-gcc"
+cross_cc_cflags_i386=""
 cross_cc_powerpc="powerpc-linux-gnu-gcc"
 
 enabled_cross_compilers=""
@@ -1447,7 +1448,8 @@ case "$cpu" in
     i386)
            CPU_CFLAGS="-m32"
            LDFLAGS="-m32 $LDFLAGS"
-           cc_i386='$(CC) -m32'
+           cross_cc_i386=$cc
+           cross_cc_cflags_i386=$CPU_CFLAGS
            ;;
     x86_64)
            # ??? Only extremely old AMD cpus do not have cmpxchg16b.
@@ -1455,12 +1457,14 @@ case "$cpu" in
            # runtime and generate the fallback to serial emulation.
            CPU_CFLAGS="-m64 -mcx16"
            LDFLAGS="-m64 $LDFLAGS"
-           cc_i386='$(CC) -m32'
+           cross_cc_x86_64=$cc
+           cross_cc_cflags_x86_64=$CPU_CFLAGS
            ;;
     x32)
            CPU_CFLAGS="-mx32"
            LDFLAGS="-mx32 $LDFLAGS"
-           cc_i386='$(CC) -m32'
+           cross_cc_i386=$cc
+           cross_cc_cflags_i386="-m32"
            ;;
     # No special flags required for other host CPUs
 esac
@@ -6724,7 +6728,6 @@ echo "CC=$cc" >> $config_host_mak
 if $iasl -h > /dev/null 2>&1; then
   echo "IASL=$iasl" >> $config_host_mak
 fi
-echo "CC_I386=$cc_i386" >> $config_host_mak
 echo "HOST_CC=$host_cc" >> $config_host_mak
 echo "CXX=$cxx" >> $config_host_mak
 echo "OBJCC=$objcc" >> $config_host_mak
@@ -6845,6 +6848,7 @@ esac
 
 target_compiler=""
 target_compiler_static=""
+target_compiler_cflags=""
 
 mkdir -p $target_dir
 echo "# Automatically generated by configure - do not modify" > $config_target_mak
@@ -6862,6 +6866,7 @@ case "$target_name" in
   i386)
     gdb_xml_files="i386-32bit.xml i386-32bit-core.xml i386-32bit-sse.xml"
     target_compiler=$cross_cc_i386
+    target_compiler_cflags=$cross_cc_ccflags_i386
   ;;
   x86_64)
     TARGET_BASE_ARCH=i386
@@ -7034,9 +7039,9 @@ if has $target_compiler; then
 
     write_c_skeleton
 
-    if ! do_compiler "$target_compiler" -o $TMPE $TMPC -static ; then
+    if ! do_compiler "$target_compiler" $target_compiler_cflags -o $TMPE $TMPC -static ; then
         # For host systems we might get away with building without -static
-        if ! do_compiler "$target_compiler" -o $TMPE $TMPC ; then
+        if ! do_compiler "$target_compiler" $target_compiler_cflags -o $TMPE $TMPC ; then
             target_compiler=""
         else
             enabled_cross_compilers="${enabled_cross_compilers} '${target_compiler}'"
@@ -7129,8 +7134,13 @@ if test -n "$target_compiler"; then
   if test -n "$target_compiler_static"; then
       echo "CROSS_CC_GUEST_STATIC=$target_compiler_static" >> $config_target_mak
   fi
+
+  if test -n "$target_compiler_cflags"; then
+      echo "CROSS_CC_GUEST_CFLAGS=$target_compiler_cflags" >> $config_target_mak
+  fi
 fi
 
+
 # generate QEMU_CFLAGS/LDFLAGS for targets
 
 cflags=""