diff --git a/makefile b/makefile
index ad617f0..d04ad5e 100644
--- a/makefile
+++ b/makefile
@@ -1,8 +1,10 @@
+CXX?=g++
+
 mcscanx: struct.cc mcscan.cc read_data.cc out_utils.cc dagchainer.cc msa.cc permutation.cc	
-	g++ struct.cc mcscan.cc read_data.cc out_utils.cc dagchainer.cc msa.cc permutation.cc -o MCScanX
-	g++ struct.cc mcscan_h.cc read_homology.cc out_homology.cc dagchainer.cc msa.cc permutation.cc -o MCScanX_h
-	g++ struct.cc dup_classifier.cc read_data.cc out_utils.cc dagchainer.cc cls.cc permutation.cc -o duplicate_gene_classifier
-	g++ dissect_multiple_alignment.cc -o downstream_analyses/dissect_multiple_alignment
-	g++ detect_collinear_tandem_arrays.cc -o downstream_analyses/detect_collinear_tandem_arrays
+	$(CXX) struct.cc mcscan.cc read_data.cc out_utils.cc dagchainer.cc msa.cc permutation.cc -o MCScanX
+	$(CXX) struct.cc mcscan_h.cc read_homology.cc out_homology.cc dagchainer.cc msa.cc permutation.cc -o MCScanX_h
+	$(CXX) struct.cc dup_classifier.cc read_data.cc out_utils.cc dagchainer.cc cls.cc permutation.cc -o duplicate_gene_classifier
+	$(CXX) dissect_multiple_alignment.cc -o downstream_analyses/dissect_multiple_alignment
+	$(CXX) detect_collinear_tandem_arrays.cc -o downstream_analyses/detect_collinear_tandem_arrays
 	cd downstream_analyses/ && ${MAKE}