diff --git a/tools/Makefile b/tools/Makefile
index a894b5c9d2..e9cde02c90 100644
--- a/tools/Makefile
+++ b/tools/Makefile
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ _libfdt.so-sharedobjs += $(LIBFDT_OBJS)
 libfdt:
 
 tools/_libfdt.so: $(patsubst %.o,%.c,$(LIBFDT_OBJS)) tools/libfdt_wrap.c
-	LDFLAGS="$(HOSTLDFLAGS)" python $(srctree)/lib/libfdt/setup.py \
+	LDFLAGS="$(HOSTLDFLAGS)" CFLAGS= python $(srctree)/lib/libfdt/setup.py \
 		"$(_hostc_flags)" $^
 	mv _libfdt.so $@