diff --git a/rules.mk b/rules.mk
index 91ed9b2085..ae20742bd7 100644
--- a/rules.mk
+++ b/rules.mk
@@ -245,8 +245,8 @@ export PKG_CONFIG
 HOSTCC:=$(STAGING_DIR_HOST)/bin/gcc
 HOSTCXX:=$(STAGING_DIR_HOST)/bin/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 $(HOST_CPPFLAGS)
+HOST_CXXFLAGS:=$(HOST_CFLAGS)
 HOST_LDFLAGS:=-L$(STAGING_DIR_HOST)/lib $(if $(IS_PACKAGE_BUILD),-L$(STAGING_DIR_HOSTPKG)/lib -L$(STAGING_DIR)/host/lib)
 
 BUILD_KEY=$(TOPDIR)/key-build