diff --git a/tools/lmp2arc/src/Makefile b/tools/lmp2arc/src/Makefile
index a701e8f7a2..9f7c0f95ae 100644
--- a/tools/lmp2arc/src/Makefile
+++ b/tools/lmp2arc/src/Makefile
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
-
+CC=gcc
 OBJS = lmp2arc.o ReadCarFile.o ProcessPosFile01.o ProcessPosFile05.o unwrap_molecules.o WriteArcFrame.o
 
 lmp2arc.exe: $(OBJS)
-	gcc -o lmp2arc.exe $(OBJS)
+	$(CC) -o lmp2arc.exe $(OBJS)
 
 lmp2arc.o: lmp2arc.c lmp2.h
 ReadCarFile.o: ReadCarFile.c lmp2.h
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ WriteArcFrame.o: WriteArcFrame.c lmp2.h
 unwrap_molecules.o: unwrap_molecules.c lmp2.h
 
 .c.o:
-	gcc -O2 -c $<
+	$(CC) -O2 -c $<
 
 clean: 
 	rm lmp2arc.exe *.o