diff --git Makefile Makefile
index 217b4c2..de6a48c 100644
--- Makefile
+++ Makefile
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 # add -DSIGNALS if your compiler does *not* support <signal.h> <unistd.h>
 
 #try uncommenting next line if cc is the default C compiler
-CC = gcc      # or gcc7
+CC ?= gcc      # or gcc7
 
 default: lrs lrsgmp lrsnash checkpred inedel