diff --git a/payloads/external/LinuxBoot/Kconfig b/payloads/external/LinuxBoot/Kconfig
index 24bfe3f112..454b7c5f09 100644
--- a/payloads/external/LinuxBoot/Kconfig
+++ b/payloads/external/LinuxBoot/Kconfig
@@ -66,12 +66,23 @@ config LINUXBOOT_KERNEL_PATH
 if LINUXBOOT_COMPILE_KERNEL
 
 config LINUXBOOT_CROSS_COMPILE
+	bool "cross compiler"
+	default n if LINUXBOOT_X86_64 # currently coreboots cross toolchain cannot build Linux
+	default y
+	help
+	  Enable this option if you want to compile Linux using a cross compiler.
+	  The coreboot toolchain also counts as a cross toolchain.
+
+config LINUXBOOT_CROSS_COMPILE_PATH
 	string "cross compiler"
+	depends on LINUXBOOT_CROSS_COMPILE
 	default "" # e.g. "aarch64-linux-gnu-"
 	help
 	  Choose a custom cross compiler toolchain to use.
-	  It can be useful if you don't want to use the coreboot toolchain
-	  or experience problems using it.
+	  The cross toolchain of coreboot will be used if this option is left empty.
+	  If not left empty, it should contain a path to a cross toolchain that is
+	  capable of compiling Linux. It can be useful if you don't want to use the
+	  coreboot toolchain or experience problems using it for building Linux.
 
 config LINUXBOOT_KERNEL_VERSION
 	string "kernel version"
diff --git a/payloads/external/LinuxBoot/targets/linux.mk b/payloads/external/LinuxBoot/targets/linux.mk
index 1a882f143c..5cd3c540e0 100644
--- a/payloads/external/LinuxBoot/targets/linux.mk
+++ b/payloads/external/LinuxBoot/targets/linux.mk
@@ -2,9 +2,9 @@
 
 SHELL := /bin/sh
 
-OBJCOPY:=$(CONFIG_LINUXBOOT_CROSS_COMPILE)objcopy
+OBJCOPY:=$(CONFIG_LINUXBOOT_CROSS_COMPILE_PATH)objcopy
 KERNEL_MAKE_FLAGS = \
-	CROSS_COMPILE=$(CONFIG_LINUXBOOT_CROSS_COMPILE) \
+	CROSS_COMPILE=$(CONFIG_LINUXBOOT_CROSS_COMPILE_PATH) \
 	ARCH=$(LINUX_ARCH-y) \
 	KBUILD_BUILD_USER="coreboot" \
 	KBUILD_BUILD_HOST="reproducible" \
diff --git a/payloads/external/Makefile.mk b/payloads/external/Makefile.mk
index 53693f5917..52fc07d5a3 100644
--- a/payloads/external/Makefile.mk
+++ b/payloads/external/Makefile.mk
@@ -390,9 +390,14 @@ LINUXBOOT_CROSS_COMPILE_ARCH-$(CONFIG_LINUXBOOT_ARM)        = arm
 LINUXBOOT_CROSS_COMPILE_ARCH-$(CONFIG_LINUXBOOT_ARM64)      = arm64
 LINUXBOOT_CROSS_COMPILE_ARCH-$(CONFIG_LINUXBOOT_RISCV_RV32) = riscv
 LINUXBOOT_CROSS_COMPILE_ARCH-$(CONFIG_LINUXBOOT_RISCV_RV64) = riscv
-ifeq ($(CONFIG_LINUXBOOT_CROSS_COMPILE),"")
-	CONFIG_LINUXBOOT_CROSS_COMPILE=$(CROSS_COMPILE_$(LINUXBOOT_CROSS_COMPILE_ARCH-y))
-endif
+ifeq ($(CONFIG_LINUXBOOT_CROSS_COMPILE),y)
+ifeq ($(CONFIG_LINUXBOOT_CROSS_COMPILE_PATH),"")
+    # use coreboots cross toolchain
+    CONFIG_LINUXBOOT_CROSS_COMPILE_PATH=$(CROSS_COMPILE_$(LINUXBOOT_CROSS_COMPILE_ARCH-y))
+endif # CONFIG_LINUXBOOT_CROSS_COMPILE_PATH
+else  # CONFIG_LINUXBOOT_CROSS_COMPILE
+    $(warning "Using host toolchain to build Linuxboot")
+endif # CONFIG_LINUXBOOT_CROSS_COMPILE
 .PHONY: linuxboot
 payloads/external/LinuxBoot/build/Image linuxboot:
 	$(MAKE) -C payloads/external/LinuxBoot \
@@ -403,7 +408,7 @@ payloads/external/LinuxBoot/build/Image linuxboot:
 		CONFIG_LINUXBOOT_ARM64=$(CONFIG_LINUXBOOT_ARM64) \
 		CONFIG_LINUXBOOT_RISCV_RV32=$(CONFIG_LINUXBOOT_RISCV_RV32) \
 		CONFIG_LINUXBOOT_RISCV_RV64=$(CONFIG_LINUXBOOT_RISCV_RV64) \
-		CONFIG_LINUXBOOT_CROSS_COMPILE=$(CONFIG_LINUXBOOT_CROSS_COMPILE) \
+		CONFIG_LINUXBOOT_CROSS_COMPILE_PATH=$(CONFIG_LINUXBOOT_CROSS_COMPILE_PATH) \
 		CONFIG_LINUXBOOT_BUILD_INITRAMFS=$(CONFIG_LINUXBOOT_BUILD_INITRAMFS) \
 		CONFIG_LINUXBOOT_INITRAMFS_PATH=$(CONFIG_LINUXBOOT_INITRAMFS_PATH) \
 		CONFIG_LINUXBOOT_INITRAMFS_SUFFIX=$(CONFIG_LINUXBOOT_INITRAMFS_SUFFIX) \