diff --git a/dist/pythonlibs/testrunner/spawn.py b/dist/pythonlibs/testrunner/spawn.py
index c7daa6155808..8b6c05144ce0 100644
--- a/dist/pythonlibs/testrunner/spawn.py
+++ b/dist/pythonlibs/testrunner/spawn.py
@@ -41,13 +41,15 @@
 TESTRUNNER_RESET_AFTER_TERM = int(os.environ.get('TESTRUNNER_RESET_AFTER_TERM')
                                   or '0')
 
+MAKE = os.environ.get('MAKE', 'make')
+
 
 def _reset_board(env):
     if MAKE_RESET_DELAY > 0:
         time.sleep(MAKE_RESET_DELAY)
 
     try:
-        subprocess.check_output(('make', 'reset'), env=env,
+        subprocess.check_output((MAKE, 'reset'), env=env,
                                 stderr=subprocess.PIPE)
     except subprocess.CalledProcessError:
         # make reset yields error on some boards even if successful
@@ -74,7 +76,7 @@ def setup_child(timeout=10, spawnclass=pexpect.spawnu, env=None, logfile=None):
     # the serial terminal. This gives time for stdio to be ready.
     time.sleep(MAKE_TERM_CONNECT_DELAY)
 
-    child = spawnclass("make cleanterm", env=env, timeout=timeout,
+    child = spawnclass("{} cleanterm".format(MAKE), env=env, timeout=timeout,
                        codec_errors='replace', echo=False)
 
     # on many platforms, the termprog needs a short while to be ready...
diff --git a/dist/tools/ci/print_toolchain_versions.sh b/dist/tools/ci/print_toolchain_versions.sh
index 73d253f3cc2f..18fa3f3c1055 100755
--- a/dist/tools/ci/print_toolchain_versions.sh
+++ b/dist/tools/ci/print_toolchain_versions.sh
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 #!/bin/sh
 
+MAKE=${MAKE:-make}
+
 get_cmd_version() {
     if [ -z "$1" ]; then
         return
@@ -80,7 +82,7 @@ get_sys_shell() {
 }
 
 _get_make_shell() {
-    make -sf - 2>/dev/null <<MAKEFILE
+    ${MAKE} -sf - 2>/dev/null <<MAKEFILE
 \$(info \$(realpath \$(SHELL)))
 MAKEFILE
 }
@@ -156,7 +158,7 @@ for c in \
          cppcheck \
          doxygen \
          git \
-         make \
+         ${MAKE} \
          openocd \
          python \
          python2 \
diff --git a/dist/tools/compile_and_test_for_board/compile_and_test_for_board.py b/dist/tools/compile_and_test_for_board/compile_and_test_for_board.py
index b8b4248a6be9..b76199ef87b7 100755
--- a/dist/tools/compile_and_test_for_board/compile_and_test_for_board.py
+++ b/dist/tools/compile_and_test_for_board/compile_and_test_for_board.py
@@ -95,6 +95,8 @@
 
 LOG_LEVELS = ('debug', 'info', 'warning', 'error', 'fatal', 'critical')
 
+MAKE = os.environ.get('MAKE', 'make')
+
 
 class ErrorInTest(Exception):
     """Custom exception for a failed test.
@@ -156,7 +158,7 @@ def apps_directories(riotdir, apps_dirs=None, apps_dirs_skip=None):
 
 def _riot_applications_dirs(riotdir):
     """Applications directories in the RIOT repository with relative path."""
-    cmd = ['make', 'info-applications']
+    cmd = [MAKE, 'info-applications']
 
     out = subprocess.check_output(cmd, cwd=riotdir)
     out = out.decode('utf-8', errors='replace')
@@ -383,7 +385,7 @@ def make(self, args, env=None, log_error=False):
         full_env = os.environ.copy()
         full_env.update(env)
 
-        cmd = ['make']
+        cmd = [MAKE]
         cmd.extend(self.MAKEFLAGS)
         cmd.extend(['-C', os.path.join(self.riotdir, self.appdir)])
         cmd.extend(args)
diff --git a/dist/tools/compile_test/compile_test.py b/dist/tools/compile_test/compile_test.py
index fe61dc5e95af..ef3c28759c4d 100755
--- a/dist/tools/compile_test/compile_test.py
+++ b/dist/tools/compile_test/compile_test.py
@@ -38,6 +38,9 @@
 from itertools import tee
 
 
+MAKE = environ.get("MAKE", "make")
+
+
 class Termcolor:
     red = '\033[1;31m'
     green = '\033[1;32m'
@@ -90,7 +93,7 @@ def get_results_and_output_from(fd):
 
 
 def get_app_dirs():
-    return check_output(["make", "-f", "makefiles/app_dirs.inc.mk", "info-applications"]) \
+    return check_output([MAKE, "-f", "makefiles/app_dirs.inc.mk", "info-applications"]) \
             .decode("utf-8", errors="ignore")\
             .split()
 
@@ -130,7 +133,7 @@ def build_all():
             stdout.flush()
             try:
                 app_dir = join(riotbase, folder, application)
-                subprocess = Popen(('make', 'buildtest'),
+                subprocess = Popen((MAKE, 'buildtest'),
                                    bufsize=1, stdin=null, stdout=PIPE, stderr=null,
                                    cwd=app_dir,
                                    env=subprocess_env)
diff --git a/tests/lwip/tests/01-run.py b/tests/lwip/tests/01-run.py
index cb180faccc83..68770891e17f 100755
--- a/tests/lwip/tests/01-run.py
+++ b/tests/lwip/tests/01-run.py
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@
 
 DEFAULT_TIMEOUT = 5
 
+MAKE = os.environ.get('MAKE', 'make')
+
 
 class Strategy(object):
     def __init__(self, func=None):
@@ -47,7 +49,7 @@ def __run_make(self, application, make_targets, env=None):
         if env is not None:
             env.update(env)
         env.update(self.board.to_env())
-        cmd = ("make", "-C", application) + make_targets
+        cmd = (MAKE, "-C", application) + make_targets
         print(' '.join(cmd))
         print(subprocess.check_output(cmd, env=env))
 
@@ -165,7 +167,7 @@ def default_test_case(board_group, application, env=None):
         if env is not None:
             env.update(env)
         env.update(board.to_env())
-        with pexpect.spawnu("make", ["-C", application, "term"], env=env,
+        with pexpect.spawnu(MAKE, ["-C", application, "term"], env=env,
                             timeout=DEFAULT_TIMEOUT,
                             logfile=sys.stdout) as spawn:
             spawn.expect("TEST: SUCCESS")
@@ -201,9 +203,9 @@ def test_ipv6_send(board_group, application, env=None):
     if env is not None:
         env_receiver.update(env)
     env_receiver.update(board_group.boards[1].to_env())
-    with pexpect.spawnu("make", ["-C", application, "term"], env=env_sender,
+    with pexpect.spawnu(MAKE, ["-C", application, "term"], env=env_sender,
                         timeout=DEFAULT_TIMEOUT) as sender, \
-        pexpect.spawnu("make", ["-C", application, "term"], env=env_receiver,
+        pexpect.spawnu(MAKE, ["-C", application, "term"], env=env_receiver,
                        timeout=DEFAULT_TIMEOUT) as receiver:
         ipprot = random.randint(0x00, 0xff)
         receiver_ip = get_ipv6_address(receiver)
@@ -225,9 +227,9 @@ def test_udpv6_send(board_group, application, env=None):
     if env is not None:
         env_receiver.update(env)
     env_receiver.update(board_group.boards[1].to_env())
-    with pexpect.spawnu("make", ["-C", application, "term"], env=env_sender,
+    with pexpect.spawnu(MAKE, ["-C", application, "term"], env=env_sender,
                         timeout=DEFAULT_TIMEOUT) as sender, \
-        pexpect.spawnu("make", ["-C", application, "term"], env=env_receiver,
+        pexpect.spawnu(MAKE, ["-C", application, "term"], env=env_receiver,
                        timeout=DEFAULT_TIMEOUT) as receiver:
         port = random.randint(0x0000, 0xffff)
         receiver_ip = get_ipv6_address(receiver)
@@ -250,9 +252,9 @@ def test_tcpv6_send(board_group, application, env=None):
     if env is not None:
         env_server.update(env)
     env_server.update(board_group.boards[1].to_env())
-    with pexpect.spawnu("make", ["-C", application, "term"], env=env_client,
+    with pexpect.spawnu(MAKE, ["-C", application, "term"], env=env_client,
                         timeout=DEFAULT_TIMEOUT) as client, \
-        pexpect.spawnu("make", ["-C", application, "term"], env=env_server,
+        pexpect.spawnu(MAKE, ["-C", application, "term"], env=env_server,
                        timeout=DEFAULT_TIMEOUT) as server:
         port = random.randint(0x0000, 0xffff)
         server_ip = get_ipv6_address(server)
@@ -284,9 +286,9 @@ def test_tcpv6_multiconnect(board_group, application, env=None):
     if env is not None:
         env_server.update(env)
     env_server.update(board_group.boards[1].to_env())
-    with pexpect.spawnu("make", ["-C", application, "term"], env=env_client,
+    with pexpect.spawnu(MAKE, ["-C", application, "term"], env=env_client,
                         timeout=DEFAULT_TIMEOUT) as client, \
-        pexpect.spawnu("make", ["-C", application, "term"], env=env_server,
+        pexpect.spawnu(MAKE, ["-C", application, "term"], env=env_server,
                        timeout=DEFAULT_TIMEOUT) as server:
         port = random.randint(0x0000, 0xffff)
         server_ip = get_ipv6_address(server)
@@ -327,9 +329,9 @@ def test_triple_send(board_group, application, env=None):
     if env is not None:
         env_receiver.update(env)
     env_receiver.update(board_group.boards[1].to_env())
-    with pexpect.spawnu("make", ["-C", application, "term"], env=env_sender,
+    with pexpect.spawnu(MAKE, ["-C", application, "term"], env=env_sender,
                         timeout=DEFAULT_TIMEOUT) as sender, \
-        pexpect.spawnu("make", ["-C", application, "term"], env=env_receiver,
+        pexpect.spawnu(MAKE, ["-C", application, "term"], env=env_receiver,
                        timeout=DEFAULT_TIMEOUT) as receiver:
         udp_port = random.randint(0x0000, 0xffff)
         tcp_port = random.randint(0x0000, 0xffff)
diff --git a/tests/riotboot/tests/01-run.py b/tests/riotboot/tests/01-run.py
index db9bf8fd7d7d..35b94c459658 100755
--- a/tests/riotboot/tests/01-run.py
+++ b/tests/riotboot/tests/01-run.py
@@ -10,11 +10,12 @@
 import sys
 import subprocess
 from testrunner import run
+from testrunner.spawn import MAKE
 
 
 def flash_slot(slotnum, version):
     cmd = [
-        "make",
+        MAKE,
         "RIOTBOOT_SKIP_COMPILE=1",
         "riotboot/flash-slot{}".format(slotnum),
         "APP_VER={}".format(version),
diff --git a/tests/warn_conflict/tests/01-make.py b/tests/warn_conflict/tests/01-make.py
index a82a2b261481..7d869bd86e10 100755
--- a/tests/warn_conflict/tests/01-make.py
+++ b/tests/warn_conflict/tests/01-make.py
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 import pexpect
 
 BOARD = os.getenv('BOARD', 'stm32f4discovery')
+MAKE = os.environ.get('MAKE', 'make')
 
 
 def testfunc():
@@ -20,7 +21,7 @@ def testfunc():
         if exc.errno == os.errno.ENOENT:
             print("ABORTING TEST: {} seems to be missing.\n".format(cross_gcc))
     else:
-        child = pexpect.spawnu(['make'], env=os.environ)
+        child = pexpect.spawnu([MAKE], env=os.environ)
         child.logfile = sys.stdout
 
         try: