diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index ac57ea2af97b055bc144c7e89c8e22fae36d3dc9..980a09261ed74f6c08be155f34fb1270cebfc199 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -13,6 +13,9 @@ mboxd_SOURCES = \
 	transport_mbox.c \
 	windows.c \
 	mtd.c
+
+mboxd_LINK = $(LINK)
+
 mboxd_LDFLAGS = $(LIBSYSTEMD_LIBS)
 mboxd_CFLAGS = $(LIBSYSTEMD_CFLAGS)
 
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index c986e0fe4d361a9884cc920966c3a8da6dbe4c09..fb08e35208c56aefebc07ef6fdb39ada7b0d8c98 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -32,10 +32,10 @@ The build system is a standard autotools setup. `bootstrap.sh` runs all the
 jobs necessary to initialise autotools.
 
 By default mboxd is configured and built _without_ the 'virtual PNOR' feature
-discussed below. The virtual PNOR functionality is written in C++, and due to
-some autotools clunkiness even if it is disabled mboxd will still be linked
-with `CXX`. Point `CXX` to `cc` at configure time if you do not have a C++
-compiler for your target (`./configure CXX=cc`).
+discussed below. The virtual PNOR functionality is written in C++, and in
+prevous versions, due to some autotools clunkiness even if it is disabled mboxd
+will still be linked with `CXX`. This is no longer true. mboxd always links
+with $(CC).
 
 If you are hacking on the reference implementation it's recommended to run
 `bootstrap.sh` with the `dev` argument: