diff --git a/configure b/configure
index d4f0210f06..ed7c778aab 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -120,6 +120,7 @@ show_help(){
   echo "  --target-os=OS           compiler targets OS [$target_os]"
   echo "  --target-exec=CMD        command to run executables on target"
   echo "  --target-path=DIR        path to view of build directory on target"
+  echo "  --nm=NM                  use nm tool"
   echo "  --cc=CC                  use C compiler CC [$cc]"
   echo "  --host-cc=HOSTCC         use host C compiler HOSTCC"
   echo "  --host-cflags=HCFLAGS    use HCFLAGS when compiling for host"
@@ -919,6 +920,7 @@ CMDLINE_SET="
     host_ldflags
     host_libs
     logfile
+    nm
     source_path
     target_exec
     target_os
@@ -1097,7 +1099,7 @@ cc_default="gcc"
 host_cc_default="gcc"
 yasmexe="yasm"
 ar="ar"
-nm="nm"
+nm_default="nm"
 ranlib="ranlib"
 strip="strip"
 ln_s="ln -sf"
@@ -1265,11 +1267,11 @@ test -n "$cross_prefix" && enable cross_compile
 cc_default="${cross_prefix}${cc_default}"
 yasmexe="${cross_prefix}${yasmexe}"
 ar="${cross_prefix}${ar}"
-nm="${cross_prefix}${nm}"
+nm_default="${cross_prefix}${nm}"
 ranlib="${cross_prefix}${ranlib}"
 strip="${cross_prefix}${strip}"
 
-set_default cc
+set_default cc nm
 enabled cross_compile || host_cc_default=$cc
 set_default host_cc