diff --git a/include/host-build.mk b/include/host-build.mk
index b68c8c4536..7f76eb1a2f 100644
--- a/include/host-build.mk
+++ b/include/host-build.mk
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ HOST_CONFIGURE_VARS = \
 	CFLAGS="$(HOST_CFLAGS)" \
 	CXX="$(HOSTCXX)" \
 	CPPFLAGS="$(HOST_CPPFLAGS)" \
+	CXXFLAGS="$(HOST_CXXFLAGS)" \
 	LDFLAGS="$(HOST_LDFLAGS)" \
 	CONFIG_SHELL="$(SHELL)"
 
diff --git a/rules.mk b/rules.mk
index 45b58614f1..57c3bca7d9 100644
--- a/rules.mk
+++ b/rules.mk
@@ -240,6 +240,7 @@ export PKG_CONFIG
 HOSTCC:=gcc
 HOSTCXX:=g++
 HOST_CPPFLAGS:=-I$(STAGING_DIR_HOST)/include $(if $(IS_PACKAGE_BUILD),-I$(STAGING_DIR_HOSTPKG)/include -I$(STAGING_DIR)/host/include)
+HOST_CXXFLAGS:=
 HOST_CFLAGS:=-O2 $(HOST_CPPFLAGS)
 HOST_LDFLAGS:=-L$(STAGING_DIR_HOST)/lib $(if $(IS_PACKAGE_BUILD),-L$(STAGING_DIR_HOSTPKG)/lib -L$(STAGING_DIR)/host/lib)