diff --git a/rules.mk b/rules.mk
index 8f42fe312956c882911c628de5675c6498f69bc1..70768f055d009bc214946322e17c12b6978b927a 100644
--- a/rules.mk
+++ b/rules.mk
@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@ HOST_CPPFLAGS:=-I$(STAGING_DIR_HOST)/include -I$(STAGING_DIR_HOST)/usr/include
 HOST_CFLAGS:=-O2 $(HOST_CPPFLAGS)
 HOST_LDFLAGS:=-L$(STAGING_DIR_HOST)/lib -L$(STAGING_DIR_HOST)/usr/lib
 
-ifeq ($(CONFIG_GCC_VERSION_4_4)$(CONFIG_GCC_VERSION_4_6),)
+ifeq ($(CONFIG_GCC_VERSION_4_4)$(CONFIG_GCC_VERSION_4_6)$(CONFIG_EXTERNAL_TOOLCHAIN),)
   TARGET_AR:=$(TARGET_CROSS)gcc-ar
   TARGET_RANLIB:=$(TARGET_CROSS)gcc-ranlib
   TARGET_NM:=$(TARGET_CROSS)gcc-nm