diff --git a/board/spike/riscv64/start.sh b/board/spike/riscv64/start.sh
index 75b1412df8..6fbbced806 100755
--- a/board/spike/riscv64/start.sh
+++ b/board/spike/riscv64/start.sh
@@ -3,9 +3,13 @@
 SCRIPT_DIR="$(dirname "$0")"
 BR_BASEDIR="$(readlink -e "${SCRIPT_DIR}/../../..")"
 
+# spike uses dtc at runtime startup, so make sure buildroot host
+# directory is in the PATH
+export PATH="${BR_BASEDIR}/output/host/usr/bin:$PATH"
+
 # Use Buildroot host spike by default, but allow the caller to
 # redefine another spike binary
-: "${SPIKE:=${BR_BASEDIR}/output/host/usr/bin/spike}"
+: "${SPIKE:=spike}"
 
 exec "${SPIKE}" \
     --initrd "${BR_BASEDIR}"/output/images/rootfs.cpio \