diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 956818349e..dd21ac9438 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -78,11 +78,11 @@ endif
 ifndef HOSTLD
 HOSTLD:=ld
 endif
-HOSTAR:=$(shell $(CONFIG_SHELL) which $(HOSTAR) || type -p $(HOSTAR) || echo ar)
-HOSTAS:=$(shell $(CONFIG_SHELL) which $(HOSTAS) || type -p $(HOSTAS) || echo as)
-HOSTCC:=$(shell $(CONFIG_SHELL) which $(HOSTCC) || type -p $(HOSTCC) || echo gcc)
-HOSTCXX:=$(shell $(CONFIG_SHELL) which $(HOSTCXX) || type -p $(HOSTCXX) || echo g++)
-HOSTLD:=$(shell $(CONFIG_SHELL) which $(HOSTLD) || type -p $(HOSTLD) || echo ld)
+HOSTAR :=$(shell $(CONFIG_SHELL) -c "which $(HOSTAR)"  || type -p $(HOSTAR)  || echo ar)
+HOSTAS :=$(shell $(CONFIG_SHELL) -c "which $(HOSTAS)"  || type -p $(HOSTAS)  || echo as)
+HOSTCC :=$(shell $(CONFIG_SHELL) -c "which $(HOSTCC)"  || type -p $(HOSTCC)  || echo gcc)
+HOSTCXX:=$(shell $(CONFIG_SHELL) -c "which $(HOSTCXX)" || type -p $(HOSTCXX) || echo g++)
+HOSTLD :=$(shell $(CONFIG_SHELL) -c "which $(HOSTLD)"  || type -p $(HOSTLD)  || echo ld)
 ifndef CFLAGS_FOR_BUILD
 CFLAGS_FOR_BUILD:=-g -O2
 endif