diff --git a/tools/bpf/bpftool/Makefile b/tools/bpf/bpftool/Makefile
index ab20ecc5acce..d40e31bc4c9d 100644
--- a/tools/bpf/bpftool/Makefile
+++ b/tools/bpf/bpftool/Makefile
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ $(LIBBPF_INTERNAL_HDRS): $(LIBBPF_HDRS_DIR)/%.h: $(BPF_DIR)/%.h | $(LIBBPF_HDRS_
 $(LIBBPF_BOOTSTRAP): $(wildcard $(BPF_DIR)/*.[ch] $(BPF_DIR)/Makefile) | $(LIBBPF_BOOTSTRAP_OUTPUT)
 	$(Q)$(MAKE) -C $(BPF_DIR) OUTPUT=$(LIBBPF_BOOTSTRAP_OUTPUT) \
 		DESTDIR=$(LIBBPF_BOOTSTRAP_DESTDIR:/=) prefix= \
-		ARCH= CROSS_COMPILE= CC=$(HOSTCC) LD=$(HOSTLD) AR=$(HOSTAR) $@ install_headers
+		ARCH= CROSS_COMPILE= CC="$(HOSTCC)" LD="$(HOSTLD)" AR="$(HOSTAR)" $@ install_headers
 
 $(LIBBPF_BOOTSTRAP_INTERNAL_HDRS): $(LIBBPF_BOOTSTRAP_HDRS_DIR)/%.h: $(BPF_DIR)/%.h | $(LIBBPF_BOOTSTRAP_HDRS_DIR)
 	$(call QUIET_INSTALL, $@)