diff --git a/src/tests/CMakeLists.txt b/src/tests/CMakeLists.txt
index c57c03592..5a84691a5 100644
--- a/src/tests/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/tests/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -39,7 +39,9 @@ if(NOT ${GTEST_DIR_LOCAL})
      # if GTEST_DIR is not defined, we download and build it
      set(gtest_RELEASE 1.8.0)
      set(TOOLCHAIN_ARG "")
+     set(GTEST_COMPILER "-DCMAKE_CXX_COMPILER=${CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER} -DCMAKE_C_COMPILER=${CMAKE_C_COMPILER}") 
      if(EXISTS $ENV{OECORE_TARGET_SYSROOT})
+         set(GTEST_COMPILER "")
          set(TOOLCHAIN_ARG -DCMAKE_TOOLCHAIN_FILE=${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/../../cmake/Toolchains/oe-sdk_cross.cmake)
      endif(EXISTS $ENV{OECORE_TARGET_SYSROOT})
      ExternalProject_Add(
@@ -48,7 +50,7 @@ if(NOT ${GTEST_DIR_LOCAL})
          GIT_TAG release-${gtest_RELEASE}
          SOURCE_DIR ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/../../thirdparty/gtest/gtest-${gtest_RELEASE}
          BINARY_DIR ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/../../gtest-${gtest_RELEASE}
-         CMAKE_ARGS -DCMAKE_CXX_COMPILER=${CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER} -DBUILD_GTEST=ON -DBUILD_GMOCK=OFF ${TOOLCHAIN_ARG}
+         CMAKE_ARGS ${GTEST_COMPILER} -DBUILD_GTEST=ON -DBUILD_GMOCK=OFF ${TOOLCHAIN_ARG}
          UPDATE_COMMAND ""
          PATCH_COMMAND ""
          INSTALL_COMMAND ""