diff --git a/tools/Makefile.host b/tools/Makefile.host
index 77573a0d70..87560adacb 100644
--- a/tools/Makefile.host
+++ b/tools/Makefile.host
@@ -43,18 +43,18 @@ include ${TOPDIR}/tools/Config.mk
 # Define HOSTCC on the make command line if it differs from these defaults
 # Define HOSTCFLAGS with -g on the make command line to build debug versions
 
-HOSTOS = ${shell uname -o 2>/dev/null || echo "Other"}
+HOSTOS = ${shell uname -o || echo "Other"}
 
-ifeq ($(CONFIG_WINDOWS_NATIVE),y)
+ifeq ($(HOSTOS),MinGW)
 
-# In the Windows native environment, the MinGW GCC compiler is assumed
+# In the Windows native environment, the MinGW GCC compiler is used
 
-HOSTCC ?= mingw-gcc.exe
+HOSTCC ?= mingw32-gcc.exe
 HOSTCFLAGS ?= -O2 -Wall -Wstrict-prototypes -Wshadow -I. -DCONFIG_WINDOWS_NATIVE=y
 
 else
 
-# GCC is assumed in the POSIX environment (Linux or Cygwin).
+# GCC is assumed in all other POSIX environments (Linux, Cygwin, MSYS2).
 # strtok_r is used in some tools, but does not seem to be available in
 # the MinGW environment.