diff --git a/include/kernel-build.mk b/include/kernel-build.mk
index bf6f2c2ec..a8c9e7fd2 100644
--- a/include/kernel-build.mk
+++ b/include/kernel-build.mk
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ $(LINUX_DIR)/.unpacked: $(DL_DIR)/$(LINUX_SOURCE)
 ifeq ($(KERNEL),2.4)
 $(LINUX_DIR)/.configured: $(LINUX_DIR)/.patched
 	$(SED) "s,\-mcpu=,\-mtune=,g;" $(LINUX_DIR)/arch/mips/Makefile
-	$(MAKE) -C $(LINUX_DIR) CROSS_COMPILE="$(KERNEL_CROSS)" CC="$(TARGET_CC)" ARCH=$(LINUX_KARCH) oldconfig include/linux/compile.h include/linux/version.h
+	$(MAKE) -C $(LINUX_DIR) CROSS_COMPILE="$(KERNEL_CROSS)" CC="$(KERNEL_CC)" ARCH=$(LINUX_KARCH) oldconfig include/linux/compile.h include/linux/version.h
 	touch $@
 
 $(LINUX_DIR)/.depend_done: $(LINUX_DIR)/.configured
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ $(LINUX_DIR)/.depend_done: $(LINUX_DIR)/.configured
 $(LINUX_DIR)/vmlinux: $(LINUX_DIR)/.depend_done
 else
 $(LINUX_DIR)/.configured: $(LINUX_DIR)/.patched
-	$(MAKE) -C $(LINUX_DIR) CROSS_COMPILE="$(KERNEL_CROSS)" CC="$(TARGET_CC)" ARCH=$(LINUX_KARCH) oldconfig prepare scripts
+	$(MAKE) -C $(LINUX_DIR) CROSS_COMPILE="$(KERNEL_CROSS)" CC="$(KERNEL_CC)" ARCH=$(LINUX_KARCH) oldconfig prepare scripts
 	touch $@
 endif
 
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ else
 endif
 
 $(LINUX_DIR)/vmlinux: $(LINUX_DIR)/.linux-compile pkg-install ramdisk-config
-	$(MAKE) -C $(LINUX_DIR) CROSS_COMPILE="$(KERNEL_CROSS)" CC="$(TARGET_CC)" ARCH=$(LINUX_KARCH)
+	$(MAKE) -C $(LINUX_DIR) CROSS_COMPILE="$(KERNEL_CROSS)" CC="$(KERNEL_CC)" ARCH=$(LINUX_KARCH) 
 
 $(LINUX_KERNEL): $(LINUX_DIR)/vmlinux
 	$(KERNEL_CROSS)objcopy -O binary -R .reginfo -R .note -R .comment -R .mdebug -S $< $@
@@ -71,8 +71,8 @@ $(LINUX_KERNEL): $(LINUX_DIR)/vmlinux
 
 $(LINUX_DIR)/.modules_done:
 	rm -rf $(KERNEL_BUILD_DIR)/modules
-	$(MAKE) -C "$(LINUX_DIR)" CROSS_COMPILE="$(KERNEL_CROSS)" CC="$(TARGET_CC)" ARCH=$(LINUX_KARCH) modules
-	$(MAKE) -C "$(LINUX_DIR)" CROSS_COMPILE="$(KERNEL_CROSS)" CC="$(TARGET_CC)" ARCH=$(LINUX_KARCH) DEPMOD=true INSTALL_MOD_PATH=$(KERNEL_BUILD_DIR)/modules modules_install
+	$(MAKE) -C "$(LINUX_DIR)" CC="$(KERNEL_CC)" CROSS_COMPILE="$(KERNEL_CROSS)" ARCH=$(LINUX_KARCH) modules
+	$(MAKE) -C "$(LINUX_DIR)" CC="$(KERNEL_CC)" CROSS_COMPILE="$(KERNEL_CROSS)" ARCH=$(LINUX_KARCH) DEPMOD=true INSTALL_MOD_PATH=$(KERNEL_BUILD_DIR)/modules modules_install
 	touch $(LINUX_DIR)/.modules_done
 
 modules: $(LINUX_DIR)/.modules_done
diff --git a/include/kernel.mk b/include/kernel.mk
index 318ca6869..db02ea216 100644
--- a/include/kernel.mk
+++ b/include/kernel.mk
@@ -29,8 +29,12 @@ LINUX_KARCH:=$(shell echo $(ARCH) | sed -e 's/i[3-9]86/i386/' \
 )
 
 ifneq (,$(findstring uml,$(BOARD)))
-LINUX_KARCH="um"
-KERNEL_CROSS=
+  LINUX_KARCH:=um
+  KERNEL_CC:=$(HOSTCC)
+  KERNEL_CROSS:=
+else
+  KERNEL_CC:=$(TARGET_CC)
+  KERNEL_CROSS:=$(TARGET_CROSS)
 endif
 
 KERNEL_BUILD_DIR:=$(BUILD_DIR)/linux-$(KERNEL)-$(BOARD)
diff --git a/rules.mk b/rules.mk
index 6c770c48a..a8d3647b6 100644
--- a/rules.mk
+++ b/rules.mk
@@ -35,7 +35,6 @@ IPKG_STATE_DIR:=$(TARGET_DIR)/usr/lib/ipkg
 
 REAL_GNU_TARGET_NAME=$(OPTIMIZE_FOR_CPU)-linux-uclibc
 GNU_TARGET_NAME=$(OPTIMIZE_FOR_CPU)-linux
-KERNEL_CROSS:=$(OPTIMIZE_FOR_CPU)-linux-uclibc-
 TARGET_CROSS:=$(OPTIMIZE_FOR_CPU)-linux-uclibc-
 IMAGE:=$(BUILD_DIR)/root_fs_$(ARCH)