diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 0e6208f..eec85ad 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -20,6 +20,14 @@ from textwrap import dedent
 site.ENABLE_USER_SITE = "--user" in sys.argv[1:]
 
 
+def cpp_path():
+    return os.environ.get("CC", "cc")
+
+
+def cpp_args(args=[]):
+    return ["-E"] + args
+
+
 class type_generator(build_ext):
     cares = set(
         (
@@ -184,7 +192,9 @@ class type_generator(build_ext):
                 f"unable to find tss2_tpm2_types.h in {pk['include_dirs']}"
             )
         pdata = preprocess_file(
-            header_path, cpp_args=["-std=c99", "-D__extension__=", "-D__attribute__(x)="]
+            header_path,
+            cpp_path=cpp_path(),
+            cpp_args=cpp_args(["-std=c99", "-D__extension__=", "-D__attribute__(x)="]),
         )
         parser = c_parser.CParser()
         ast = parser.parse(pdata, "tss2_tpm2_types.h")
@@ -204,13 +214,16 @@ class type_generator(build_ext):
             if policy_header_path:
                 pdata = preprocess_file(
                     policy_header_path,
-                    cpp_args=[
-                        "-std=c99",
-                        "-D__extension__=",
-                        "-D__attribute__(x)=",
-                        "-D__float128=long double",
-                        "-D_FORTIFY_SOURCE=0",
-                    ],
+                    cpp_path=cpp_path(),
+                    cpp_args=cpp_args(
+                        [
+                            "-std=c99",
+                            "-D__extension__=",
+                            "-D__attribute__(x)=",
+                            "-D__float128=long double",
+                            "-D_FORTIFY_SOURCE=0",
+                        ]
+                    ),
                 )
                 parser = c_parser.CParser()
                 past = parser.parse(pdata, "tss2_policy.h")