diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index df716bd..17d4060 100755
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -83,6 +83,9 @@
 AC_ARG_VAR([DMD_LIBEVENT_FLAGS], [DMD flags for linking libevent (auto-detected if not set).])
 AC_ARG_VAR([DMD_OPENSSL_FLAGS], [DMD flags for linking OpenSSL (auto-detected if not set).])
 
+AC_ARG_VAR([THRIFT], [Path to the thrift tool (needed for cross-compilation).])
+AS_IF([test "x$THRIFT" = x], [THRIFT=`pwd`/compiler/cpp/thrift])
+
 AC_PROG_CC
 AC_PROG_CPP
 AC_PROG_CXX
diff --git a/lib/c_glib/test/Makefile.am b/lib/c_glib/test/Makefile.am
index 8c6c48d..5e9d2ea 100755
--- a/lib/c_glib/test/Makefile.am
+++ b/lib/c_glib/test/Makefile.am
@@ -237,8 +237,6 @@
         gen-cpp/ThriftTest_types.h
 libtestgencpp_la_CPPFLAGS = -I../../cpp/src $(BOOST_CPPFLAGS) -I./gen-cpp
 
-THRIFT = $(top_builddir)/compiler/cpp/thrift
-
 gen-c_glib/t_test_container_test_types.c gen-c_glib/t_test_container_test_types.h gen-c_glib/t_test_container_service.c gen-c_glib/t_test_container_service.h: ContainerTest.thrift $(THRIFT)
 	$(THRIFT) --gen c_glib $<
 
diff --git a/lib/cpp/Makefile.am b/lib/cpp/Makefile.am
index 4441fba..cd1d923 100755
--- a/lib/cpp/Makefile.am
+++ b/lib/cpp/Makefile.am
@@ -265,8 +265,6 @@
                   src/thrift/qt/TQIODeviceTransport.h \
                   src/thrift/qt/TQTcpServer.h
 
-THRIFT = $(top_builddir)/compiler/cpp/thrift
-
 WINDOWS_DIST = \
              src/thrift/windows \
              thrift.sln \
diff --git a/lib/cpp/test/Makefile.am b/lib/cpp/test/Makefile.am
index 95d9889..c298e26 100755
--- a/lib/cpp/test/Makefile.am
+++ b/lib/cpp/test/Makefile.am
@@ -360,7 +360,6 @@
 #
 # Common thrift code generation rules
 #
-THRIFT = $(top_builddir)/compiler/cpp/thrift
 
 gen-cpp/AnnotationTest_constants.cpp gen-cpp/AnnotationTest_constants.h gen-cpp/AnnotationTest_types.cpp gen-cpp/AnnotationTest_types.h: $(top_srcdir)/test/AnnotationTest.thrift
 	$(THRIFT) --gen cpp $<
diff --git a/lib/d/test/Makefile.am b/lib/d/test/Makefile.am
index c510471..3b6a6f1 100755
--- a/lib/d/test/Makefile.am
+++ b/lib/d/test/Makefile.am
@@ -24,8 +24,6 @@
 
 # Thrift compiler rules
 
-THRIFT = $(top_builddir)/compiler/cpp/thrift
-
 debug_proto_gen = $(addprefix gen-d/, DebugProtoTest_types.d)
 
 $(debug_proto_gen): $(top_srcdir)/test/DebugProtoTest.thrift
diff --git a/lib/go/test/Makefile.am b/lib/go/test/Makefile.am
index a3bc9e0..5531e07 100644
--- a/lib/go/test/Makefile.am
+++ b/lib/go/test/Makefile.am
@@ -21,7 +21,6 @@
 COMPILER_EXTRAFLAG=",legacy_context"
 endif
 
-THRIFT = $(top_builddir)/compiler/cpp/thrift
 THRIFTARGS = -out gopath/src/ --gen go:thrift_import=thrift$(COMPILER_EXTRAFLAG)
 THRIFTTEST = $(top_srcdir)/test/ThriftTest.thrift
 
diff --git a/lib/haxe/test/Makefile.am b/lib/haxe/test/Makefile.am
index 5c638d4..2b8b245 100644
--- a/lib/haxe/test/Makefile.am
+++ b/lib/haxe/test/Makefile.am
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@
 # under the License.
 #
 
-THRIFT = $(top_builddir)/compiler/cpp/thrift
 THRIFTCMD = $(THRIFT) --gen haxe -r
 THRIFTTEST = $(top_srcdir)/test/ThriftTest.thrift
 AGGR = $(top_srcdir)/contrib/async-test/aggr.thrift
diff --git a/lib/java/Makefile.am b/lib/java/Makefile.am
index ab130f5..1c867ae 100644
--- a/lib/java/Makefile.am
+++ b/lib/java/Makefile.am
@@ -19,8 +19,6 @@
 
 export CLASSPATH
 
-THRIFT = $(top_builddir)/compiler/cpp/thrift
-
 all-local:
 	$(ANT) $(ANT_FLAGS)
 
diff --git a/lib/nodejs/Makefile.am b/lib/nodejs/Makefile.am
index 6d785be..a3424d0 100755
--- a/lib/nodejs/Makefile.am
+++ b/lib/nodejs/Makefile.am
@@ -16,8 +16,6 @@
 # under the License.
 
 
-THRIFT = $(top_builddir)/compiler/cpp/thrift
-
 stubs: $(top_srcdir)/test/ThriftTest.thrift
 	$(THRIFT) --gen js:node -o test/ $(top_srcdir)/test/ThriftTest.thrift
 
diff --git a/lib/php/test/Makefile.am b/lib/php/test/Makefile.am
index d966246..c872b1a 100755
--- a/lib/php/test/Makefile.am
+++ b/lib/php/test/Makefile.am
@@ -17,8 +17,6 @@
 # under the License.
 #
 
-THRIFT = $(top_builddir)/compiler/cpp/thrift
-
 stubs: ../../../test/ThriftTest.thrift  TestValidators.thrift
 	mkdir -p ./packages
 	$(THRIFT) --gen php -r --out ./packages ../../../test/ThriftTest.thrift
diff --git a/test/c_glib/Makefile.am b/test/c_glib/Makefile.am
index 4f9a119..0c478f9 100755
--- a/test/c_glib/Makefile.am
+++ b/test/c_glib/Makefile.am
@@ -54,8 +54,6 @@
 #
 # Common thrift code generation rules
 #
-THRIFT = $(top_builddir)/compiler/cpp/thrift
-
 gen-c_glib/t_test_second_service.c  gen-c_glib/t_test_second_service.h  gen-c_glib/t_test_thrift_test.c  gen-c_glib/t_test_thrift_test.h  gen-c_glib/t_test_thrift_test_types.c  gen-c_glib/t_test_thrift_test_types.h: $(top_srcdir)/test/ThriftTest.thrift $(THRIFT)
 	$(THRIFT) --gen c_glib -r $<
 
diff --git a/test/cpp/Makefile.am b/test/cpp/Makefile.am
index e2c21f5..359e7e6 100755
--- a/test/cpp/Makefile.am
+++ b/test/cpp/Makefile.am
@@ -98,8 +98,6 @@
 #
 # Common thrift code generation rules
 #
-THRIFT = $(top_builddir)/compiler/cpp/thrift
-
 gen-cpp/ThriftTest.cpp gen-cpp/ThriftTest_types.cpp gen-cpp/ThriftTest_constants.cpp: $(top_srcdir)/test/ThriftTest.thrift $(THRIFT)
 	$(THRIFT) --gen cpp:templates,cob_style -r $<
 
diff --git a/test/dart/Makefile.am b/test/dart/Makefile.am
index e274771..9750ec2 100644
--- a/test/dart/Makefile.am
+++ b/test/dart/Makefile.am
@@ -17,8 +17,6 @@
 # under the License.
 #
 
-THRIFT = $(top_builddir)/compiler/cpp/thrift
-
 gen-dart/thrift_test/lib/thrift_test.dart: ../ThriftTest.thrift
 	$(THRIFT) --gen dart ../ThriftTest.thrift
 
diff --git a/test/erl/Makefile.am b/test/erl/Makefile.am
index be8b4f5..ff25e89 100644
--- a/test/erl/Makefile.am
+++ b/test/erl/Makefile.am
@@ -17,8 +17,6 @@
 # under the License.
 #
 
-THRIFT = $(top_builddir)/compiler/cpp/thrift
-
 THRIFT_FILES = $(wildcard ../*.thrift)
 
 if ERLANG_OTP16
diff --git a/test/go/Makefile.am b/test/go/Makefile.am
index ce711f6..1438d44 100644
--- a/test/go/Makefile.am
+++ b/test/go/Makefile.am
@@ -22,7 +22,6 @@
 COMPILER_EXTRAFLAG=",legacy_context"
 endif
 
-THRIFT = $(top_builddir)/compiler/cpp/thrift
 THRIFTCMD = $(THRIFT) -out src/gen --gen go:thrift_import=thrift$(COMPILER_EXTRAFLAG)
 THRIFTTEST = $(top_srcdir)/test/ThriftTest.thrift
 
diff --git a/test/haxe/Makefile.am b/test/haxe/Makefile.am
index 1a32185..4edaa30 100644
--- a/test/haxe/Makefile.am
+++ b/test/haxe/Makefile.am
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@
 # under the License.
 #
 
-THRIFT = $(top_builddir)/compiler/cpp/thrift
 THRIFTCMD = $(THRIFT) --gen haxe -r
 THRIFTTEST = $(top_srcdir)/test/ThriftTest.thrift
 
diff --git a/test/hs/Makefile.am b/test/hs/Makefile.am
index 3f35396..1748906 100644
--- a/test/hs/Makefile.am
+++ b/test/hs/Makefile.am
@@ -17,8 +17,6 @@
 # under the License.
 #
 
-THRIFT = $(top_builddir)/compiler/cpp/thrift
-
 stubs: $(THRIFT) ../ConstantsDemo.thrift ../DebugProtoTest.thrift ../ThriftTest.thrift ../Include.thrift
 	$(THRIFT) --gen hs ../ConstantsDemo.thrift
 	$(THRIFT) --gen hs ../DebugProtoTest.thrift
diff --git a/test/perl/Makefile.am b/test/perl/Makefile.am
index d975f69..165b9a7 100644
--- a/test/perl/Makefile.am
+++ b/test/perl/Makefile.am
@@ -17,8 +17,6 @@
 # under the License.
 #
 
-THRIFT = $(top_builddir)/compiler/cpp/thrift
-
 stubs: ../ThriftTest.thrift
 	$(THRIFT) --gen perl ../ThriftTest.thrift
 
diff --git a/test/php/Makefile.am b/test/php/Makefile.am
index 7c4347f..ea6eaf3 100755
--- a/test/php/Makefile.am
+++ b/test/php/Makefile.am
@@ -17,8 +17,6 @@
 # under the License.
 #
 
-THRIFT = $(top_builddir)/compiler/cpp/thrift
-
 stubs: ../ThriftTest.thrift
 	$(THRIFT) --gen php ../ThriftTest.thrift
 	$(THRIFT) --gen php:inlined ../ThriftTest.thrift
diff --git a/test/py.twisted/Makefile.am b/test/py.twisted/Makefile.am
index 78cde22..d11908c 100644
--- a/test/py.twisted/Makefile.am
+++ b/test/py.twisted/Makefile.am
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@
 # under the License.
 #
 
-THRIFT = $(top_builddir)/compiler/cpp/thrift
 TRIAL ?= trial
 
 stubs: ../ThriftTest.thrift ../SmallTest.thrift
diff --git a/test/py/Makefile.am b/test/py/Makefile.am
index 53c1e63..b3513dd 100644
--- a/test/py/Makefile.am
+++ b/test/py/Makefile.am
@@ -18,8 +18,6 @@
 #
 AUTOMAKE_OPTIONS = serial-tests
 
-THRIFT = $(top_builddir)/compiler/cpp/thrift
-
 py_unit_tests = RunClientServer.py
 
 thrift_gen =                                    \
diff --git a/test/rb/Makefile.am b/test/rb/Makefile.am
index 7b74c6c..4bd4704 100644
--- a/test/rb/Makefile.am
+++ b/test/rb/Makefile.am
@@ -17,8 +17,6 @@
 # under the License.
 #
 
-THRIFT = $(top_builddir)/compiler/cpp/thrift
-
 stubs: $(THRIFT) ../ThriftTest.thrift ../SmallTest.thrift
 	$(THRIFT) --gen rb ../ThriftTest.thrift
 	$(THRIFT) --gen rb ../SmallTest.thrift
diff --git a/test/rs/Makefile.am b/test/rs/Makefile.am
index 1a409b8..54905b4 100644
--- a/test/rs/Makefile.am
+++ b/test/rs/Makefile.am
@@ -17,8 +17,6 @@
 # under the License.
 #
 
-THRIFT = $(top_builddir)/compiler/cpp/thrift
-
 stubs: ../ThriftTest.thrift
 	$(THRIFT) -I ./thrifts -out src --gen rs ../ThriftTest.thrift
 
diff --git a/tutorial/c_glib/Makefile.am b/tutorial/c_glib/Makefile.am
index 15a9995..4dbe655 100755
--- a/tutorial/c_glib/Makefile.am
+++ b/tutorial/c_glib/Makefile.am
@@ -28,8 +28,6 @@
 AM_CPPFLAGS = -I$(top_srcdir)/lib/c_glib/src -Igen-c_glib
 AM_LDFLAGS = $(GLIB_LIBS) $(GOBJECT_LIBS) $(OPENSSL_LDFLAGS) $(OPENSSL_LIBS) @GCOV_LDFLAGS@
 
-THRIFT = $(top_builddir)/compiler/cpp/thrift
-
 noinst_LTLIBRARIES = \
 	libtutorialgencglib.la
 
diff --git a/tutorial/cpp/Makefile.am b/tutorial/cpp/Makefile.am
index 184a69d..49cf3be 100755
--- a/tutorial/cpp/Makefile.am
+++ b/tutorial/cpp/Makefile.am
@@ -61,8 +61,6 @@
 #
 # Common thrift code generation rules
 #
-THRIFT = $(top_builddir)/compiler/cpp/thrift
-
 gen-cpp/Calculator.cpp gen-cpp/SharedService.cpp gen-cpp/shared_constants.cpp gen-cpp/shared_types.cpp gen-cpp/tutorial_constants.cpp gen-cpp/tutorial_types.cpp: $(top_srcdir)/tutorial/tutorial.thrift
 	$(THRIFT) --gen cpp -r $<
 
diff --git a/tutorial/dart/Makefile.am b/tutorial/dart/Makefile.am
index 438e457..2e8cd34 100644
--- a/tutorial/dart/Makefile.am
+++ b/tutorial/dart/Makefile.am
@@ -19,8 +19,6 @@
 
 BUILT_SOURCES = gen-dart/tutorial/lib/tutorial.dart gen-dart/shared/lib/shared.dart
 
-THRIFT = $(top_builddir)/compiler/cpp/thrift
-
 gen-dart/tutorial/lib/tutorial.dart gen-dart/shared/lib/shared.dart: $(top_srcdir)/tutorial/tutorial.thrift
 	$(THRIFT) --gen dart -r $<
 
diff --git a/tutorial/go/Makefile.am b/tutorial/go/Makefile.am
index b6ad9a5..30662f5 100644
--- a/tutorial/go/Makefile.am
+++ b/tutorial/go/Makefile.am
@@ -21,8 +21,6 @@
 COMPILER_EXTRAFLAG=":legacy_context"
 endif
 
-THRIFT = $(top_builddir)/compiler/cpp/thrift
-
 gen-go/tutorial/calculator.go gen-go/shared/shared_service.go: $(top_srcdir)/tutorial/tutorial.thrift
 	$(THRIFT) --gen go$(COMPILER_EXTRAFLAG) -r $<
 
diff --git a/tutorial/haxe/Makefile.am b/tutorial/haxe/Makefile.am
index e9c8820..13ac48d 100644
--- a/tutorial/haxe/Makefile.am
+++ b/tutorial/haxe/Makefile.am
@@ -17,13 +17,10 @@
 # under the License.
 #
 
-THRIFT = $(top_builddir)/compiler/cpp/thrift
-
 BIN_CPP = bin/Main-debug
 BIN_PHP = bin/php/Main-debug.php
 BIN_PHP_WEB = bin/php-web-server/Main-debug.php
 
-
 gen-haxe/tutorial/calculator.hx gen-haxe/shared/shared_service.hx: $(top_srcdir)/tutorial/tutorial.thrift
 	$(THRIFT) --gen haxe -r $<
 
diff --git a/tutorial/nodejs/Makefile.am b/tutorial/nodejs/Makefile.am
index ecf3b2b..1516fec 100644
--- a/tutorial/nodejs/Makefile.am
+++ b/tutorial/nodejs/Makefile.am
@@ -17,8 +17,6 @@
 # under the License.
 #
 
-THRIFT = $(top_builddir)/compiler/cpp/thrift
-
 gen-nodejs/Calculator.js gen-nodejs/SharedService.js: $(top_srcdir)/tutorial/tutorial.thrift
 	$(THRIFT) --gen js:node -r $<
 
diff --git a/tutorial/py.tornado/Makefile.am b/tutorial/py.tornado/Makefile.am
index 6ac6023..4b73c1e 100755
--- a/tutorial/py.tornado/Makefile.am
+++ b/tutorial/py.tornado/Makefile.am
@@ -17,8 +17,6 @@
 # under the License.
 #
 
-THRIFT = $(top_builddir)/compiler/cpp/thrift
-
 gen-py.tornado/tutorial/Calculator.py gen-py.tornado/shared/SharedService.py: $(top_srcdir)/tutorial/tutorial.thrift
 	$(THRIFT) --gen py:tornado -r $<
 
diff --git a/tutorial/py.twisted/Makefile.am b/tutorial/py.twisted/Makefile.am
index c6cbd45..50cd342 100755
--- a/tutorial/py.twisted/Makefile.am
+++ b/tutorial/py.twisted/Makefile.am
@@ -17,8 +17,6 @@
 # under the License.
 #
 
-THRIFT = $(top_builddir)/compiler/cpp/thrift
-
 gen-py/tutorial/Calculator.py gen-py/shared/SharedService.py: $(top_srcdir)/tutorial/tutorial.thrift
 	$(THRIFT) --gen py:twisted -r $<
 
diff --git a/tutorial/py/Makefile.am b/tutorial/py/Makefile.am
index d891640..7db816d 100755
--- a/tutorial/py/Makefile.am
+++ b/tutorial/py/Makefile.am
@@ -17,8 +17,6 @@
 # under the License.
 #
 
-THRIFT = $(top_builddir)/compiler/cpp/thrift
-
 gen-py/tutorial/Calculator.py gen-py/shared/SharedService.py: $(top_srcdir)/tutorial/tutorial.thrift
 	$(THRIFT) --gen py -r $<
 
diff --git a/tutorial/rb/Makefile.am b/tutorial/rb/Makefile.am
index 369e903..9372413 100755
--- a/tutorial/rb/Makefile.am
+++ b/tutorial/rb/Makefile.am
@@ -17,8 +17,6 @@
 # under the License.
 #
 
-THRIFT = $(top_builddir)/compiler/cpp/thrift
-
 gen-py/calculator.rb gen-py/shared_service.rb: $(top_srcdir)/tutorial/tutorial.thrift
 	$(THRIFT) --gen rb -r $<