diff --git a/pkgs/development/compilers/ghc/7.10.3.nix b/pkgs/development/compilers/ghc/7.10.3.nix
index 4a30d052fc7..63f73c9c58f 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/compilers/ghc/7.10.3.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/compilers/ghc/7.10.3.nix
@@ -87,7 +87,22 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
     ./relocation.patch
   ];
 
+  # GHC is a bit confused on its cross terminology.
   preConfigure = ''
+    for env in $(env | grep '^TARGET_' | sed -E 's|\+?=.*||'); do
+      export "''${env#TARGET_}=''${!env}"
+    done
+    # GHC is a bit confused on its cross terminology, as these would normally be
+    # the *host* tools.
+    export CC="${targetCC}/bin/${targetCC.targetPrefix}cc"
+    export CXX="${targetCC}/bin/${targetCC.targetPrefix}cxx"
+    export LD="${targetCC.bintools}/bin/${targetCC.bintools.targetPrefix}ld"
+    export AS="${targetCC.bintools.bintools}/bin/${targetCC.bintools.targetPrefix}as"
+    export AR="${targetCC.bintools.bintools}/bin/${targetCC.bintools.targetPrefix}ar"
+    export NM="${targetCC.bintools.bintools}/bin/${targetCC.bintools.targetPrefix}nm"
+    export RANLIB="${targetCC.bintools.bintools}/bin/${targetCC.bintools.targetPrefix}ranlib"
+    export READELF="${targetCC.bintools.bintools}/bin/${targetCC.bintools.targetPrefix}readelf"
+    export STRIP="${targetCC.bintools.bintools}/bin/${targetCC.bintools.targetPrefix}strip"
     echo -n "${buildMK}" > mk/build.mk
     sed -i -e 's|-isysroot /Developer/SDKs/MacOSX10.5.sdk||' configure
   '' + stdenv.lib.optionalString (!stdenv.isDarwin) ''
diff --git a/pkgs/development/compilers/ghc/8.0.2.nix b/pkgs/development/compilers/ghc/8.0.2.nix
index d72b70b2e4a..36e2fd0d4c0 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/compilers/ghc/8.0.2.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/compilers/ghc/8.0.2.nix
@@ -79,7 +79,22 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
     ++ stdenv.lib.optional stdenv.isLinux ./ghc-no-madv-free.patch
     ++ stdenv.lib.optional stdenv.isDarwin ./ghc-8.0.2-no-cpp-warnings.patch;
 
+  # GHC is a bit confused on its cross terminology.
   preConfigure = ''
+    for env in $(env | grep '^TARGET_' | sed -E 's|\+?=.*||'); do
+      export "''${env#TARGET_}=''${!env}"
+    done
+    # GHC is a bit confused on its cross terminology, as these would normally be
+    # the *host* tools.
+    export CC="${targetCC}/bin/${targetCC.targetPrefix}cc"
+    export CXX="${targetCC}/bin/${targetCC.targetPrefix}cxx"
+    export LD="${targetCC.bintools}/bin/${targetCC.bintools.targetPrefix}ld"
+    export AS="${targetCC.bintools.bintools}/bin/${targetCC.bintools.targetPrefix}as"
+    export AR="${targetCC.bintools.bintools}/bin/${targetCC.bintools.targetPrefix}ar"
+    export NM="${targetCC.bintools.bintools}/bin/${targetCC.bintools.targetPrefix}nm"
+    export RANLIB="${targetCC.bintools.bintools}/bin/${targetCC.bintools.targetPrefix}ranlib"
+    export READELF="${targetCC.bintools.bintools}/bin/${targetCC.bintools.targetPrefix}readelf"
+    export STRIP="${targetCC.bintools.bintools}/bin/${targetCC.bintools.targetPrefix}strip"
     echo -n "${buildMK}" > mk/build.mk
     sed -i -e 's|-isysroot /Developer/SDKs/MacOSX10.5.sdk||' configure
   '' + stdenv.lib.optionalString (!stdenv.isDarwin) ''
diff --git a/pkgs/development/compilers/ghc/8.2.2.nix b/pkgs/development/compilers/ghc/8.2.2.nix
index d81d8750807..22a8d142f41 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/compilers/ghc/8.2.2.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/compilers/ghc/8.2.2.nix
@@ -82,7 +82,23 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
 
   postPatch = "patchShebangs .";
 
+  # GHC is a bit confused on its cross terminology.
   preConfigure = ''
+    for env in $(env | grep '^TARGET_' | sed -E 's|\+?=.*||'); do
+      export "''${env#TARGET_}=''${!env}"
+    done
+    # GHC is a bit confused on its cross terminology, as these would normally be
+    # the *host* tools.
+    export CC="${targetCC}/bin/${targetCC.targetPrefix}cc"
+    export CXX="${targetCC}/bin/${targetCC.targetPrefix}cxx"
+    export LD="${targetCC.bintools}/bin/${targetCC.bintools.targetPrefix}ld"
+    export AS="${targetCC.bintools.bintools}/bin/${targetCC.bintools.targetPrefix}as"
+    export AR="${targetCC.bintools.bintools}/bin/${targetCC.bintools.targetPrefix}ar"
+    export NM="${targetCC.bintools.bintools}/bin/${targetCC.bintools.targetPrefix}nm"
+    export RANLIB="${targetCC.bintools.bintools}/bin/${targetCC.bintools.targetPrefix}ranlib"
+    export READELF="${targetCC.bintools.bintools}/bin/${targetCC.bintools.targetPrefix}readelf"
+    export STRIP="${targetCC.bintools.bintools}/bin/${targetCC.bintools.targetPrefix}strip"
+
     echo -n "${buildMK}" > mk/build.mk
     sed -i -e 's|-isysroot /Developer/SDKs/MacOSX10.5.sdk||' configure
   '' + stdenv.lib.optionalString (!stdenv.isDarwin) ''
diff --git a/pkgs/development/compilers/ghc/8.4.1.nix b/pkgs/development/compilers/ghc/8.4.1.nix
index b91faa9db62..f994d1b1a66 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/compilers/ghc/8.4.1.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/compilers/ghc/8.4.1.nix
@@ -84,7 +84,23 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
 
   postPatch = "patchShebangs .";
 
+  # GHC is a bit confused on its cross terminology.
   preConfigure = ''
+    for env in $(env | grep '^TARGET_' | sed -E 's|\+?=.*||'); do
+      export "''${env#TARGET_}=''${!env}"
+    done
+    # GHC is a bit confused on its cross terminology, as these would normally be
+    # the *host* tools.
+    export CC="${targetCC}/bin/${targetCC.targetPrefix}cc"
+    export CXX="${targetCC}/bin/${targetCC.targetPrefix}cxx"
+    export LD="${targetCC.bintools}/bin/${targetCC.bintools.targetPrefix}ld"
+    export AS="${targetCC.bintools.bintools}/bin/${targetCC.bintools.targetPrefix}as"
+    export AR="${targetCC.bintools.bintools}/bin/${targetCC.bintools.targetPrefix}ar"
+    export NM="${targetCC.bintools.bintools}/bin/${targetCC.bintools.targetPrefix}nm"
+    export RANLIB="${targetCC.bintools.bintools}/bin/${targetCC.bintools.targetPrefix}ranlib"
+    export READELF="${targetCC.bintools.bintools}/bin/${targetCC.bintools.targetPrefix}readelf"
+    export STRIP="${targetCC.bintools.bintools}/bin/${targetCC.bintools.targetPrefix}strip"
+
     echo -n "${buildMK}" > mk/build.mk
     echo ${version} >VERSION
     echo ${rev} >GIT_COMMIT_ID
diff --git a/pkgs/development/compilers/ghc/head.nix b/pkgs/development/compilers/ghc/head.nix
index bf23272156f..e4fe62e6b27 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/compilers/ghc/head.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/compilers/ghc/head.nix
@@ -84,7 +84,23 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
 
   postPatch = "patchShebangs .";
 
+  # GHC is a bit confused on its cross terminology.
   preConfigure = ''
+    for env in $(env | grep '^TARGET_' | sed -E 's|\+?=.*||'); do
+      export "''${env#TARGET_}=''${!env}"
+    done
+    # GHC is a bit confused on its cross terminology, as these would normally be
+    # the *host* tools.
+    export CC="${targetCC}/bin/${targetCC.targetPrefix}cc"
+    export CXX="${targetCC}/bin/${targetCC.targetPrefix}cxx"
+    export LD="${targetCC.bintools}/bin/${targetCC.bintools.targetPrefix}ld"
+    export AS="${targetCC.bintools.bintools}/bin/${targetCC.bintools.targetPrefix}as"
+    export AR="${targetCC.bintools.bintools}/bin/${targetCC.bintools.targetPrefix}ar"
+    export NM="${targetCC.bintools.bintools}/bin/${targetCC.bintools.targetPrefix}nm"
+    export RANLIB="${targetCC.bintools.bintools}/bin/${targetCC.bintools.targetPrefix}ranlib"
+    export READELF="${targetCC.bintools.bintools}/bin/${targetCC.bintools.targetPrefix}readelf"
+    export STRIP="${targetCC.bintools.bintools}/bin/${targetCC.bintools.targetPrefix}strip"
+
     echo -n "${buildMK}" > mk/build.mk
     echo ${version} >VERSION
     echo ${rev} >GIT_COMMIT_ID