diff --git a/configure b/configure
index fb194fd508..6c3d6cde14 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -389,6 +389,7 @@ cpp="${CPP-$cc -E}"
 objcopy="${OBJCOPY-${cross_prefix}objcopy}"
 ld="${LD-${cross_prefix}ld}"
 libtool="${LIBTOOL-${cross_prefix}libtool}"
+nm="${NM-${cross_prefix}nm}"
 strip="${STRIP-${cross_prefix}strip}"
 windres="${WINDRES-${cross_prefix}windres}"
 pkg_config_exe="${PKG_CONFIG-${cross_prefix}pkg-config}"
@@ -4898,6 +4899,7 @@ echo "AS=$as" >> $config_host_mak
 echo "CPP=$cpp" >> $config_host_mak
 echo "OBJCOPY=$objcopy" >> $config_host_mak
 echo "LD=$ld" >> $config_host_mak
+echo "NM=$nm" >> $config_host_mak
 echo "WINDRES=$windres" >> $config_host_mak
 echo "LIBTOOL=$libtool" >> $config_host_mak
 echo "CFLAGS=$CFLAGS" >> $config_host_mak
diff --git a/rules.mak b/rules.mak
index 1d73293aea..cf76b88d26 100644
--- a/rules.mak
+++ b/rules.mak
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ QEMU_DGFLAGS += -MMD -MP -MT $@ -MF $(*D)/$(*F).d
 QEMU_INCLUDES += -I$(<D) -I$(@D)
 
 WL_U := -Wl,-u,
-find-symbols = $(if $1, $(sort $(shell nm -P -g $1 | $2)))
+find-symbols = $(if $1, $(sort $(shell $(NM) -P -g $1 | $2)))
 defined-symbols = $(call find-symbols,$1,awk '$$2!="U"{print $$1}')
 undefined-symbols = $(call find-symbols,$1,awk '$$2=="U"{print $$1}')