diff --git a/Makefile.pre.in b/Makefile.pre.in
--- a/Makefile.pre.in
+++ b/Makefile.pre.in
@@ -716,7 +716,7 @@
 	fi
 
 Programs/_testembed: Programs/_testembed.o $(LIBRARY) $(LDLIBRARY) $(PY3LIBRARY)
-	$(LINKCC) $(PY_CORE_LDFLAGS) $(LINKFORSHARED) -o $@ Programs/_testembed.o $(BLDLIBRARY) $(LIBS) $(MODLIBS) $(SYSLIBS) $(LDLAST)
+	$(CC) $(PY_CORE_LDFLAGS) $(LINKFORSHARED) -o $@ Programs/_testembed.o $(BLDLIBRARY) $(LIBS) $(MODLIBS) $(SYSLIBS) $(LDLAST)
 
 ############################################################################
 # Importlib
@@ -775,7 +775,7 @@
 	$(MAINCC) -c $(PY_CORE_CFLAGS) -o $@ $(srcdir)/Programs/python.c
 
 Programs/_testembed.o: $(srcdir)/Programs/_testembed.c
-	$(MAINCC) -c $(PY_CORE_CFLAGS) -o $@ $(srcdir)/Programs/_testembed.c
+	$(CC) -c $(PY_CORE_CFLAGS) -o $@ $(srcdir)/Programs/_testembed.c
 
 Modules/_sre.o: $(srcdir)/Modules/_sre.c $(srcdir)/Modules/sre.h $(srcdir)/Modules/sre_constants.h $(srcdir)/Modules/sre_lib.h