diff --git a/Makefile.inc1 b/Makefile.inc1
index 0d806c27249..c9a01f204d3 100644
--- a/Makefile.inc1
+++ b/Makefile.inc1
@@ -344,7 +344,8 @@ X${COMPILER}?=	${${COMPILER}}
 .endfor
 XBINUTILS=	AS AR LD NM OBJCOPY OBJDUMP RANLIB SIZE STRINGS
 .for BINUTIL in ${XBINUTILS}
-.if defined(CROSS_BINUTILS_PREFIX)
+.if defined(CROSS_BINUTILS_PREFIX) && \
+    exists(${CROSS_BINUTILS_PREFIX}${${BINUTIL}})
 X${BINUTIL}?=	${CROSS_BINUTILS_PREFIX}${${BINUTIL}}
 .else
 X${BINUTIL}?=	${${BINUTIL}}