diff --git a/tools/cmake/Makefile b/tools/cmake/Makefile
index e54e8c4547..8f0631eb74 100644
--- a/tools/cmake/Makefile
+++ b/tools/cmake/Makefile
@@ -25,7 +25,8 @@ HOST_CONFIGURE_VARS += \
 	CC="$(HOSTCC_NOCACHE)" \
 	CXX="$(HOSTCXX_NOCACHE)" \
 	MAKEFLAGS="$(HOST_JOBS)" \
-	CXXFLAGS="$(HOST_CFLAGS)"
+	CXXFLAGS="$(HOST_CFLAGS)" \
+	MAKE="$(STAGING_DIR_HOST)/bin/ninja"
 
 HOST_CONFIGURE_ARGS := \
 	$(if $(MAKE_JOBSERVER),--parallel="$(MAKE_JOBSERVER)") \