diff --git a/modules/gmake/tests/cpp/test_tools.lua b/modules/gmake/tests/cpp/test_tools.lua
index 6b5a083191..69e376674a 100644
--- a/modules/gmake/tests/cpp/test_tools.lua
+++ b/modules/gmake/tests/cpp/test_tools.lua
@@ -30,6 +30,15 @@
 	function suite.usesCorrectTools()
 		make.cppTools(cfg, p.tools.gcc)
 		test.capture [[
+  ifeq ($(origin CC), default)
+    CC = gcc
+  endif
+  ifeq ($(origin CXX), default)
+    CXX = g++
+  endif
+  ifeq ($(origin AR), default)
+    AR = ar
+  endif
   RESCOMP = windres
 		]]
 	end
diff --git a/modules/gmake2/tests/test_gmake2_tools.lua b/modules/gmake2/tests/test_gmake2_tools.lua
index 9474176d32..01460a69a7 100644
--- a/modules/gmake2/tests/test_gmake2_tools.lua
+++ b/modules/gmake2/tests/test_gmake2_tools.lua
@@ -31,6 +31,15 @@
 	function suite.usesCorrectTools()
 		gmake2.cpp.tools(cfg, p.tools.gcc)
 		test.capture [[
+ifeq ($(origin CC), default)
+  CC = gcc
+endif
+ifeq ($(origin CXX), default)
+  CXX = g++
+endif
+ifeq ($(origin AR), default)
+  AR = ar
+endif
 RESCOMP = windres
 		]]
 	end
diff --git a/src/tools/gcc.lua b/src/tools/gcc.lua
index e4aa12c2bb..9bac20ef2b 100644
--- a/src/tools/gcc.lua
+++ b/src/tools/gcc.lua
@@ -684,5 +684,5 @@
 		if ((cfg.gccprefix  or version ~= "") and gcc.tools[tool]) or tool == "rc" then
 			return (cfg.gccprefix or "") .. gcc.tools[tool] .. version
 		end
-		return nil
+		return gcc.tools[tool]
 	end
diff --git a/tests/tools/test_gcc.lua b/tests/tools/test_gcc.lua
index fcc085511d..0a875b6277 100644
--- a/tests/tools/test_gcc.lua
+++ b/tests/tools/test_gcc.lua
@@ -33,9 +33,18 @@
 
 	function suite.tools_onDefaults()
 		prepare()
-		test.isnil(gcc.gettoolname(cfg, "cc"))
-		test.isnil(gcc.gettoolname(cfg, "cxx"))
-		test.isnil(gcc.gettoolname(cfg, "ar"))
+		test.isequal("gcc", gcc.gettoolname(cfg, "cc"))
+		test.isequal("g++", gcc.gettoolname(cfg, "cxx"))
+		test.isequal("ar", gcc.gettoolname(cfg, "ar"))
+		test.isequal("windres", gcc.gettoolname(cfg, "rc"))
+	end
+
+	function suite.tools_withGcc()
+		toolset "gcc"
+		prepare()
+		test.isequal("gcc", gcc.gettoolname(cfg, "cc"))
+		test.isequal("g++", gcc.gettoolname(cfg, "cxx"))
+		test.isequal("ar", gcc.gettoolname(cfg, "ar"))
 		test.isequal("windres", gcc.gettoolname(cfg, "rc"))
 	end