diff --git a/pkgs/by-name/ll/llama-cpp/package.nix b/pkgs/by-name/ll/llama-cpp/package.nix
index d5acf81b6431..bc3729b62053 100644
--- a/pkgs/by-name/ll/llama-cpp/package.nix
+++ b/pkgs/by-name/ll/llama-cpp/package.nix
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 {
   lib,
+  buildPackages,
   autoAddDriverRunpath,
   cmake,
   fetchFromGitHub,
@@ -81,6 +82,8 @@ let
     vulkan-headers
     vulkan-loader
   ];
+
+  buildCc = buildPackages.stdenv.cc;
 in
 effectiveStdenv.mkDerivation (finalAttrs: {
   pname = "llama-cpp";
@@ -120,6 +123,11 @@ effectiveStdenv.mkDerivation (finalAttrs: {
     shaderc
   ];
 
+  depsBuildBuild = optionals (stdenv.buildPlatform != stdenv.hostPlatform) [
+    # llama-ui-embed under tools/ui needs a host compiler
+    buildCc
+  ];
+
   buildInputs =
     optionals cudaSupport cudaBuildInputs
     ++ optionals openclSupport [ clblast ]
@@ -185,6 +193,9 @@ effectiveStdenv.mkDerivation (finalAttrs: {
   ++ optionals metalSupport [
     (cmakeFeature "CMAKE_C_FLAGS" "-D__ARM_FEATURE_DOTPROD=1")
     (cmakeBool "LLAMA_METAL_EMBED_LIBRARY" true)
+  ]
+  ++ optionals (stdenv.buildPlatform != stdenv.hostPlatform) [
+    (cmakeFeature "HOST_CXX_COMPILER" (lib.getExe' buildCc "${buildCc.targetPrefix}c++"))
   ];
 
   postInstall = optionalString (stdenv.buildPlatform.canExecute stdenv.hostPlatform) ''