diff --git a/Makefile.common b/Makefile.common
index e1881b62..1d6d9442 100644
--- a/Makefile.common
+++ b/Makefile.common
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ HOSTCFLAGS := -fstack-protector-strong -Wall -Werror -std=c11 -O2 -g
 HOSTCPPFLAGS := -I$(TOPDIR)/include
 HOSTLDFLAGS :=
 HOSTLDLIBS :=
-HOSTAR := ar
+HOSTAR := $(CONFIG_HOST_AR)
 
 define HOSTCOMPILE.c
 	@echo "HOSTCC $@"
diff --git a/configure.sh b/configure.sh
index c38617b8..6d46c278 100755
--- a/configure.sh
+++ b/configure.sh
@@ -57,7 +57,12 @@ Options:
 
 Environment variables affecting the build system configuration:
     HOST_CC
-        C compiler used for host tools and tenders.
+    HOST_AR
+        C compiler and ar tool used for host tools and tenders.
+
+    HOST_PKG_CONFIG
+        pkg-config executable to query for information on libraries needed to
+        build host tools and tenders.
 
     TARGET_CC
     TARGET_LD
@@ -247,6 +252,8 @@ done
 #
 # Configure host tools and tenders based on HOST_CC.
 #
+HOST_AR=${HOST_AR:-ar}
+
 HOST_CC=${HOST_CC:-cc}
 HOST_CC_MACHINE=$(${HOST_CC} -dumpmachine)
 [ $? -ne 0 ] &&
@@ -281,6 +288,8 @@ case ${HOST_CC_MACHINE} in
         ;;
 esac
 
+HOST_PKG_CONFIG=${HOST_PKG_CONFIG:-pkg-config}
+
 CONFIG_SPT_TENDER_NO_PIE=
 CONFIG_SPT_TENDER_LIBSECCOMP_CFLAGS=
 CONFIG_SPT_TENDER_LIBSECCOMP_LDFLAGS=
@@ -295,24 +304,24 @@ if [ -n "${CONFIG_SPT_TENDER}" ]; then
         CONFIG_SPT_TENDER_NO_PIE=1
     fi
 
-    if ! command -v pkg-config >/dev/null; then
-        die "pkg-config is required"
+    if ! command -v $HOST_PKG_CONFIG >/dev/null; then
+        die "pkg-config is required: $HOST_PKG_CONFIG not in PATH"
     fi
-    if ! pkg-config libseccomp; then
+    if ! $HOST_PKG_CONFIG libseccomp; then
         die "libseccomp development headers are required"
     else
-        if ! pkg-config --atleast-version=2.3.3 libseccomp; then
+        if ! $HOST_PKG_CONFIG --atleast-version=2.3.3 libseccomp; then
             # TODO Make this a hard error once there are no distros with
             # libseccomp < 2.3.3 in the various CIs.
             warn "libseccomp >= 2.3.3 is required" \
                 "for correct spt tender operation"
             warn "Proceeding anyway, expect tests to fail"
-        elif ! pkg-config --atleast-version=2.4.1 libseccomp; then
+        elif ! $HOST_PKG_CONFIG --atleast-version=2.4.1 libseccomp; then
             warn "libseccomp < 2.4.1 has known vulnerabilities"
             warn "Proceeding anyway, but consider upgrading"
         fi
-        CONFIG_SPT_TENDER_LIBSECCOMP_CFLAGS="$(pkg-config --cflags libseccomp)"
-        CONFIG_SPT_TENDER_LIBSECCOMP_LDLIBS="$(pkg-config --libs libseccomp)"
+        CONFIG_SPT_TENDER_LIBSECCOMP_CFLAGS="$($HOST_PKG_CONFIG --cflags libseccomp)"
+        CONFIG_SPT_TENDER_LIBSECCOMP_LDLIBS="$($HOST_PKG_CONFIG --libs libseccomp)"
     fi
     if ! CC="${HOST_CC}" PKG_CFLAGS="${CONFIG_SPT_TENDER_LIBSECCOMP_CFLAGS}" \
         cc_check_header seccomp.h; then
@@ -342,6 +351,7 @@ CONFIG_DISABLE_TOOLCHAIN=1
 CONFIG_HOST_ARCH=${CONFIG_HOST_ARCH}
 CONFIG_HOST=${CONFIG_HOST}
 CONFIG_HOST_CC=${HOST_CC}
+CONFIG_HOST_AR=${HOST_AR}
 CONFIG_HVT_TENDER_ENABLE_CAPSICUM=${CONFIG_HVT_TENDER_ENABLE_CAPSICUM}
 CONFIG_HVT_TENDER=${CONFIG_HVT_TENDER}
 CONFIG_SPT_TENDER=${CONFIG_SPT_TENDER}
@@ -520,6 +530,7 @@ CONFIG_PREFIX=${OPT_PREFIX}
 CONFIG_HOST_ARCH=${CONFIG_HOST_ARCH}
 CONFIG_HOST=${CONFIG_HOST}
 CONFIG_HOST_CC=${HOST_CC}
+CONFIG_HOST_AR=${HOST_AR}
 CONFIG_HVT=${CONFIG_HVT}
 CONFIG_HVT_TENDER_ENABLE_CAPSICUM=${CONFIG_HVT_TENDER_ENABLE_CAPSICUM}
 CONFIG_HVT_TENDER=${CONFIG_HVT_TENDER}