diff --git a/make/gcc.mak b/make/gcc.mak
index 5ae2eb854..6b858e219 100644
--- a/make/gcc.mak
+++ b/make/gcc.mak
@@ -14,6 +14,10 @@
 #MAKEOVERRIDES=
 # (That trick has been disabled.)
 
+# To compile with custom make-options, set them here; for example:
+#MAKEOPTS = -j 2 CFLAGS=-O4 CC=clang
+MAKEOPTS =
+
 # The install prefix and directories
 prefix		= /usr/local
 exec_prefix	= $(prefix)
@@ -58,9 +62,10 @@ endif
 all:	bins libs docs $(SYS:%=samples tests)
 
 bins:
-	@$(MAKE) -C src -f make/gcc.mak CA65_INC=\\\"${CA65_INC}/\\\" \
-	  CC65_INC=\\\"${CC65_INC}/\\\" LD65_CFG=\\\"${LD65_CFG}/\\\" \
-	  LD65_LIB=\\\"${LD65_LIB}/\\\" LD65_OBJ=\\\"${LD65_OBJ}/\\\"
+	@$(MAKE) -C src -f make/gcc.mak $(MAKEOPTS) \
+	  CA65_INC=\\\"${CA65_INC}/\\\" CC65_INC=\\\"${CC65_INC}/\\\" \
+	  LD65_CFG=\\\"${LD65_CFG}/\\\" LD65_LIB=\\\"${LD65_LIB}/\\\" \
+	  LD65_OBJ=\\\"${LD65_OBJ}/\\\"
 
 libs:
 	@$(MAKE) -C libsrc
@@ -69,7 +74,7 @@ libs:
 # if a host system doesn't have LinuxDoc Tools.
 docs:
 	@if linuxdoc -B check doc/index >/dev/null 2>&1; \
-	  then $(MAKE) -C doc html; \
+	  then $(MAKE) -C doc $(MAKEOPTS) html; \
 	  else echo '"LinuxDoc Tools" is not installed; skipping HTML documentation.'; \
 	  fi
 
diff --git a/src/make/gcc.mak b/src/make/gcc.mak
index f36162f2a..ccd1f3fa7 100644
--- a/src/make/gcc.mak
+++ b/src/make/gcc.mak
@@ -1,21 +1,26 @@
 #
 # gcc Makefile for the program sources
 #
-
-SUBDIRS	=		\
-	common		\
-	ar65		\
-	ca65		\
-	cc65		\
-        chrcvt          \
-	cl65		\
-	co65            \
-	da65		\
-	grc		\
-	ld65		\
+PROGS =		\
+	ar65	\
+	ca65	\
+	cc65	\
+	chrcvt	\
+	cl65	\
+	co65	\
+	da65	\
+	grc	\
+	ld65	\
 	od65
 
-.PHONY: all dist clean zap
-all dist clean zap:
-	for i in $(SUBDIRS); do $(MAKE) -C $$i -f make/gcc.mak $@ || exit $$?; done
+SUBDIRS	= common $(PROGS)
+
+.PHONY: all dist clean zap $(SUBDIRS)
+all dist clean zap:	$(SUBDIRS)
+
+# Finish building the common library before allowing parallel makes.
+$(PROGS):	common
+
+$(SUBDIRS):
+	$(MAKE) -C $@ -f make/gcc.mak $(MAKECMDGOALS)