--- lshw-B.02.06/src/Makefile
+++ lshw-B.02.06/src/Makefile
@@ -13,11 +13,13 @@
 export MANDIR
 export DATADIR
 
-CXX=c++
+CXX ?= c++
 INCLUDES=-I./core/
 DEFINES=-DPREFIX=\"$(PREFIX)\" -DSBINDIR=\"$(SBINDIR)\" -DMANDIR=\"$(MANDIR)\" -DDATADIR=\"$(DATADIR)\"
-CXXFLAGS=-g -Wall -Os $(INCLUDES) $(DEFINES)
-LDFLAGS=-L./core/ -Os -s
+CXXFLAGS ?= -g -Os
+CXXFLAGS += -Wall $(INCLUDES) $(DEFINES)
+LDFLAGS ?= -Os -s
+LDFLAGS += -L./core/
 ifneq ($(shell $(LD) --help 2| grep -- --as-needed), )
 	LDFLAGS+= -Wl,--as-needed
 endif
--- lshw-B.02.06/src/core/Makefile
+++ lshw-B.02.06/src/core/Makefile
@@ -1,9 +1,10 @@
 PACKAGENAME?=lshw
 
-CXX=c++
+CXX ?= c++
 INCLUDES=
 DEFINES=-DPREFIX=\"$(PREFIX)\" -DSBINDIR=\"$(SBINDIR)\" -DMANDIR=\"$(MANDIR)\" -DDATADIR=\"$(DATADIR)\"
-CXXFLAGS=-g -Wall -Os $(INCLUDES) $(DEFINES)
+CXXFLAGS ?= -g -Os
+CXXFLAGS += -Wall $(INCLUDES) $(DEFINES)
 LDFLAGS=
 LDSTATIC=
 LIBS=
--- lshw-B.02.06/src/gui/Makefile
+++ lshw-B.02.06/src/gui/Makefile
@@ -1,16 +1,18 @@
 PACKAGENAME?=lshw
 
-CXX=c++
-CC=cc
+CXX ?= c++
+CC ?= cc
 
 DEFINES=-DPREFIX=\"$(PREFIX)\" -DSBINDIR=\"$(SBINDIR)\" -DMANDIR=\"$(MANDIR)\" -DDATADIR=\"$(DATADIR)\"
 GTKINCLUDES=$(shell pkg-config gtk+-2.0 --cflags)
 INCLUDES=-I../core $(GTKINCLUDES)
-CXXFLAGS=-g -Wall -Os $(INCLUDES) $(DEFINES)
-CFLAGS=$(CXXFLAGS) $(DEFINES)
+CXXFLAGS ?= -g -Os
+CFLAGS ?= $(CXXFLAGS)
+CXXFLAGS += -Wall $(INCLUDES) $(DEFINES)
+CFLAGS += -Wall $(INCLUDES) $(DEFINES)
 GTKLIBS=$(shell pkg-config gtk+-2.0 --libs)
 LIBS=-L../core -llshw $(GTKLIBS)
-LDFLAGS= -Os -s
+LDFLAGS ?= -Os -s
 ifneq ($(shell $(LD) --help 2| grep -- --as-needed), )
 	LDFLAGS+= -Wl,--as-needed
 endif