diff --git a/package/chicken/chicken.mk b/package/chicken/chicken.mk
index 2667f7823d..0000fc635e 100644
--- a/package/chicken/chicken.mk
+++ b/package/chicken/chicken.mk
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ CHICKEN_MAKE_OPTS = \
 	ARCH=unused \
 	C_COMPILER="$(TARGET_CC)" \
 	CXX_COMPILER="$(TARGET_CXX)" \
+	C_COMPILER_OPTIMIZATION_OPTIONS="$(TARGET_CFLAGS)" \
 	PREFIX=/usr \
 	PLATFORM=linux \
 	LIBRARIAN="$(TARGET_AR)"