diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 3e2c3de7d4a23..0c4fb69eac72e 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -155,8 +155,13 @@ if(CMAKE_SYSTEM_NAME STREQUAL "Darwin")
   try_append_linker_flag(core "-Wl,-headerpad_max_install_names")
 endif()
 
-if(CMAKE_CROSSCOMPILING AND DEPENDS_ALLOW_HOST_PACKAGES)
-  list(APPEND CMAKE_FIND_ROOT_PATH "${CMAKE_SYSTEM_PREFIX_PATH}")
+if(CMAKE_CROSSCOMPILING)
+  target_compile_definitions(core INTERFACE ${DEPENDS_COMPILE_DEFINITIONS})
+  target_compile_options(core INTERFACE "$<$<COMPILE_LANGUAGE:C>:${DEPENDS_C_COMPILER_FLAGS}>")
+  target_compile_options(core INTERFACE "$<$<COMPILE_LANGUAGE:CXX>:${DEPENDS_CXX_COMPILER_FLAGS}>")
+  if(DEPENDS_ALLOW_HOST_PACKAGES)
+    list(APPEND CMAKE_FIND_ROOT_PATH "${CMAKE_SYSTEM_PREFIX_PATH}")
+  endif()
 endif()
 
 include(AddThreadsIfNeeded)
@@ -231,9 +236,13 @@ get_directory_property(definitions COMPILE_DEFINITIONS)
 string(REPLACE ";" " " definitions "${definitions}")
 message("Preprocessor defined macros ........... ${definitions}")
 message("C compiler ............................ ${CMAKE_C_COMPILER}")
-message("CFLAGS ................................ ${CMAKE_C_FLAGS}")
+list(JOIN DEPENDS_C_COMPILER_FLAGS " " depends_c_flags)
+string(STRIP "${CMAKE_C_FLAGS} ${depends_c_flags}" combined_c_flags)
+message("CFLAGS ................................ ${combined_c_flags}")
 message("C++ compiler .......................... ${CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER}")
-message("CXXFLAGS .............................. ${CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS}")
+list(JOIN DEPENDS_CXX_COMPILER_FLAGS " " depends_cxx_flags)
+string(STRIP "${CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS} ${depends_cxx_flags}" combined_cxx_flags)
+message("CXXFLAGS .............................. ${combined_cxx_flags}")
 get_target_property(common_compile_options core INTERFACE_COMPILE_OPTIONS)
 if(common_compile_options)
   list(JOIN common_compile_options " " common_compile_options)
diff --git a/depends/toolchain.cmake.in b/depends/toolchain.cmake.in
index c64ac90e8fc9c..55896cc95c19b 100644
--- a/depends/toolchain.cmake.in
+++ b/depends/toolchain.cmake.in
@@ -37,11 +37,10 @@ if(NOT CMAKE_C_COMPILER)
   if(CMAKE_VERSION VERSION_LESS 3.19)
     set(DEPENDS_C_COMPILER_FLAGS ${CMAKE_C_COMPILER})
     list(REMOVE_AT DEPENDS_C_COMPILER_FLAGS 0)
-    string(REPLACE ";" " " DEPENDS_C_COMPILER_FLAGS "${DEPENDS_C_COMPILER_FLAGS}")
     list(GET CMAKE_C_COMPILER 0 CMAKE_C_COMPILER)
   endif()
+  list(APPEND DEPENDS_C_COMPILER_FLAGS @CFLAGS@)
 endif()
-set(CMAKE_C_FLAGS_INIT "${DEPENDS_C_COMPILER_FLAGS} @CPPFLAGS@ @CFLAGS@")
 
 if(NOT CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER)
   set(DEPENDS_CXX_COMPILER_WITH_LAUNCHER @CXX@)
@@ -52,26 +51,16 @@ if(NOT CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER)
   if(CMAKE_VERSION VERSION_LESS 3.19)
     set(DEPENDS_CXX_COMPILER_FLAGS ${CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER})
     list(REMOVE_AT DEPENDS_CXX_COMPILER_FLAGS 0)
-    string(REPLACE ";" " " DEPENDS_CXX_COMPILER_FLAGS "${DEPENDS_CXX_COMPILER_FLAGS}")
     list(GET CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER 0 CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER)
   endif()
-endif()
-set(CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS_INIT "${DEPENDS_CXX_COMPILER_FLAGS} @CPPFLAGS@ @CXXFLAGS@")
+  list(APPEND DEPENDS_CXX_COMPILER_FLAGS @CXXFLAGS@)
 
-if(NOT CMAKE_OBJCXX_COMPILER)
-  set(DEPENDS_OBJCXX_COMPILER_WITH_LAUNCHER @CXX@)
-  split_compiler_launcher(DEPENDS_OBJCXX_COMPILER_WITH_LAUNCHER CMAKE_OBJCXX_COMPILER_LAUNCHER CMAKE_OBJCXX_COMPILER)
-  if(CMAKE_VERSION VERSION_GREATER_EQUAL 3.21)
-    set(CMAKE_OBJCXX_LINKER_LAUNCHER ${CMAKE_OBJCXX_COMPILER_LAUNCHER})
-  endif()
-  if(CMAKE_VERSION VERSION_LESS 3.19)
-    set(DEPENDS_OBJCXX_COMPILER_FLAGS ${CMAKE_OBJCXX_COMPILER})
-    list(REMOVE_AT DEPENDS_OBJCXX_COMPILER_FLAGS 0)
-    string(REPLACE ";" " " DEPENDS_OBJCXX_COMPILER_FLAGS "${DEPENDS_OBJCXX_COMPILER_FLAGS}")
-    list(GET CMAKE_OBJCXX_COMPILER 0 CMAKE_OBJCXX_COMPILER)
-  endif()
+  set(CMAKE_OBJCXX_COMPILER ${CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER})
+  set(CMAKE_OBJCXX_COMPILER_LAUNCHER ${CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER_LAUNCHER})
+  set(CMAKE_OBJCXX_LINKER_LAUNCHER ${CMAKE_CXX_LINKER_LAUNCHER})
 endif()
-set(CMAKE_OBJCXX_FLAGS_INIT "${DEPENDS_OBJCXX_COMPILER_FLAGS} @CPPFLAGS@ @CXXFLAGS@")
+
+set(DEPENDS_COMPILE_DEFINITIONS @CPPFLAGS@)
 
 if(CMAKE_SYSTEM_NAME STREQUAL "Windows")
   set(CMAKE_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS_INIT "-static")