diff --git a/debian/rules.real b/debian/rules.real
index 5fb4d0893..b11ae66d3 100644
--- a/debian/rules.real
+++ b/debian/rules.real
@@ -47,14 +47,7 @@ setup_env := env -u ABINAME -u ARCH -u SUBARCH -u FLAVOUR -u VERSION -u LOCALVER
 setup_makeflags =
 ifneq ($(DEB_BUILD_ARCH),$(DEB_HOST_ARCH))
   setup_makeflags += CROSS_COMPILE=$(DEB_HOST_GNU_TYPE)-
-  ifdef COMPILER
-    setup_makeflags += CC=$(DEB_HOST_GNU_TYPE)-$(COMPILER)
-  endif
   kpkg_image += --cross-compile='$(DEB_HOST_GNU_TYPE)'
-else
-  ifdef COMPILER
-    setup_makeflags += CC=$(COMPILER)
-  endif
 endif
 setup_env += MAKEFLAGS='$(setup_makeflags)'
 
@@ -140,27 +133,26 @@ $(STAMPS_DIR)/setup-$(ARCH)-$(SUBARCH)-$(FLAVOUR)-$(TYPE): SOURCE_DIR=$(BUILD_DI
 $(STAMPS_DIR)/setup-$(ARCH)-$(SUBARCH)-$(FLAVOUR)-$(TYPE): DIR=$(BUILD_DIR)/build-$(ARCH)-$(SUBARCH)-$(FLAVOUR)
 $(STAMPS_DIR)/setup-$(ARCH)-$(SUBARCH)-$(FLAVOUR)-$(TYPE): $(BUILD_DIR)/config.$(ARCH)-$(SUBARCH)-$(FLAVOUR) $(STAMPS_DIR)/source-$(ARCH)-$(SUBARCH)
 
-$(STAMPS_DIR)/setup-$(ARCH)-$(SUBARCH)-$(FLAVOUR)-kernel-package:
+define SETUP_DIR
 	rm -rf '$(DIR)'
 	cp -al '$(SOURCE_DIR)' '$(DIR)'
 	cp '$(CONFIG)' '$(DIR)/.config'
 	echo '$(ABINAME)$(LOCALVERSION)' > '$(DIR)/localversion'
+	echo 'CC = $$(CROSS_COMPILE)$(COMPILER)' > '$(DIR)/.kernelvariables'
+endef
+
+$(STAMPS_DIR)/setup-$(ARCH)-$(SUBARCH)-$(FLAVOUR)-kernel-package:
+	$(SETUP_DIR)
 	cd '$(DIR)'; $(setup_env) $(kpkg_image) configure
 	touch '$@'
 
 $(STAMPS_DIR)/setup-$(ARCH)-$(SUBARCH)-$(FLAVOUR)-plain-s390-tape:
-	rm -rf '$(DIR)'
-	cp -al '$(SOURCE_DIR)' '$(DIR)'
-	cp '$(CONFIG)' '$(DIR)/.config'
-	echo '$(ABINAME)$(subst -tape,,$(LOCALVERSION))' > '$(DIR)/localversion'
+	$(SETUP_DIR)
 	cd '$(DIR)'; $(setup_env) make prepare ARCH=$(KERNEL_ARCH) $(JOBS_ARG)
 	touch '$@'
 
 $(STAMPS_DIR)/setup-$(ARCH)-$(SUBARCH)-$(FLAVOUR)-plain-xen:
-	rm -rf '$(DIR)'
-	cp -al '$(SOURCE_DIR)' '$(DIR)'
-	cp '$(CONFIG)' '$(DIR)/.config'
-	echo '$(ABINAME)$(LOCALVERSION)' > '$(DIR)/localversion'
+	$(SETUP_DIR)
 	cd '$(DIR)'; $(setup_env) make prepare ARCH=$(KERNEL_ARCH) $(JOBS_ARG)
 	touch '$@'
 
@@ -414,3 +406,4 @@ install-tree: DH_OPTIONS = -plinux-tree-$(VERSION)
 install-tree:
 	$(MAKE) -f debian/rules.real install-dummy DH_OPTIONS='$(DH_OPTIONS)'
 
+# vim: filetype=make