diff --git a/toolchain/gdb/gdb.mk b/toolchain/gdb/gdb.mk
index 5e91d981da..5725067c20 100644
--- a/toolchain/gdb/gdb.mk
+++ b/toolchain/gdb/gdb.mk
@@ -93,6 +93,8 @@ endif
 	touch $@
 
 $(GDB_TARGET_DIR)/gdb/gdb: $(GDB_TARGET_DIR)/.configured
+	# force ELF support since it fails due to BFD linking problems
+	gdb_cv_var_elf=yes \
 	$(MAKE) CC=$(TARGET_CC) MT_CFLAGS="$(TARGET_CFLAGS)" \
 		-C $(GDB_TARGET_DIR)
 	$(STRIPCMD) $(GDB_TARGET_DIR)/gdb/gdb