diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 54e1ae602000..6c8a1b2e7c8a 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -657,6 +657,8 @@ export RCS_FIND_IGNORE := \( -name SCCS -o -name BitKeeper -o -name .svn -o    \
 
 # Basic helpers built in scripts/basic/
 PHONY += scripts_basic
+scripts_basic: KBUILD_HOSTCFLAGS := $(KBUILD_HOSTCFLAGS)
+scripts_basic: KBUILD_HOSTLDFLAGS := $(KBUILD_HOSTLDFLAGS)
 scripts_basic:
 	$(Q)$(MAKE) $(build)=scripts/basic
 
diff --git a/scripts/package/builddeb b/scripts/package/builddeb
index 3627ca227e5a..ba1defc61652 100755
--- a/scripts/package/builddeb
+++ b/scripts/package/builddeb
@@ -139,7 +139,13 @@ install_kernel_headers () {
 	pdir=debian/$1
 	version=${1#linux-headers-}
 
-	CC="${DEB_HOST_GNU_TYPE}-gcc" "${srctree}/scripts/package/install-extmod-build" "${pdir}/usr/src/linux-headers-${version}"
+	# Override $CC only for cross-compiles, to not unnecessarily rebuild
+	# scripts/ including plugins, which may lead to a full kernel rebuild.
+	if [ -n "${CROSS_COMPILE}" ]; then
+		CC="${DEB_HOST_GNU_TYPE}-gcc" "${srctree}/scripts/package/install-extmod-build" "${pdir}/usr/src/linux-headers-${version}"
+	else
+		"${srctree}/scripts/package/install-extmod-build" "${pdir}/usr/src/linux-headers-${version}"
+	fi
 
 	mkdir -p $pdir/lib/modules/$version/
 	ln -s /usr/src/linux-headers-$version $pdir/lib/modules/$version/build