diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/vm/Makefile b/tools/testing/selftests/vm/Makefile
index 2cf32e6b376e..01ec6876e8f5 100644
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/vm/Makefile
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/vm/Makefile
@@ -40,9 +40,9 @@ TEST_GEN_FILES += userfaultfd
 TEST_GEN_FILES += khugepaged
 
 ifeq ($(MACHINE),x86_64)
-CAN_BUILD_I386 := $(shell ./../x86/check_cc.sh $(CC) ../x86/trivial_32bit_program.c -m32)
-CAN_BUILD_X86_64 := $(shell ./../x86/check_cc.sh $(CC) ../x86/trivial_64bit_program.c)
-CAN_BUILD_WITH_NOPIE := $(shell ./../x86/check_cc.sh $(CC) ../x86/trivial_program.c -no-pie)
+CAN_BUILD_I386 := $(shell ./../x86/check_cc.sh "$(CC)" ../x86/trivial_32bit_program.c -m32)
+CAN_BUILD_X86_64 := $(shell ./../x86/check_cc.sh "$(CC)" ../x86/trivial_64bit_program.c)
+CAN_BUILD_WITH_NOPIE := $(shell ./../x86/check_cc.sh "$(CC)" ../x86/trivial_program.c -no-pie)
 
 TARGETS := protection_keys
 BINARIES_32 := $(TARGETS:%=%_32)
diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/x86/Makefile b/tools/testing/selftests/x86/Makefile
index 6703c7906b71..f1b675a4040b 100644
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/x86/Makefile
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/x86/Makefile
@@ -6,9 +6,9 @@ include ../lib.mk
 .PHONY: all all_32 all_64 warn_32bit_failure clean
 
 UNAME_M := $(shell uname -m)
-CAN_BUILD_I386 := $(shell ./check_cc.sh $(CC) trivial_32bit_program.c -m32)
-CAN_BUILD_X86_64 := $(shell ./check_cc.sh $(CC) trivial_64bit_program.c)
-CAN_BUILD_WITH_NOPIE := $(shell ./check_cc.sh $(CC) trivial_program.c -no-pie)
+CAN_BUILD_I386 := $(shell ./check_cc.sh "$(CC)" trivial_32bit_program.c -m32)
+CAN_BUILD_X86_64 := $(shell ./check_cc.sh "$(CC)" trivial_64bit_program.c)
+CAN_BUILD_WITH_NOPIE := $(shell ./check_cc.sh "$(CC)" trivial_program.c -no-pie)
 
 TARGETS_C_BOTHBITS := single_step_syscall sysret_ss_attrs syscall_nt test_mremap_vdso \
 			check_initial_reg_state sigreturn iopl ioperm \