diff --git a/conf/Makefile.arm-common b/conf/Makefile.arm-common
index 9059041e76..3f24704557 100644
--- a/conf/Makefile.arm-common
+++ b/conf/Makefile.arm-common
@@ -29,11 +29,11 @@
 printcommands:
 	@echo ""
 	@echo "Using CC   = $(CC)"
-	@echo "Using LD   = $(LD)"
-	@echo "Using CP   = $(CP)"
-	@echo "Using DMP  = $(DMP)"
-	@echo "Using NM   = $(NM)"
-	@echo "Using SIZE = $(SIZE)"
+#	@echo "Using LD   = $(LD)"
+#	@echo "Using CP   = $(CP)"
+#	@echo "Using DMP  = $(DMP)"
+#	@echo "Using NM   = $(NM)"
+#	@echo "Using SIZE = $(SIZE)"
 	@echo "GCC version:"
 	@$(CC) --version | head -1
 	@echo ""
diff --git a/conf/Makefile.arm-embedded b/conf/Makefile.arm-embedded
index d66abd01db..f3022f8190 100644
--- a/conf/Makefile.arm-embedded
+++ b/conf/Makefile.arm-embedded
@@ -47,15 +47,3 @@ clean_list :
 	$(RM) *~
 
 .PHONY : sizebefore sizeafter clean clean_list
-
-#
-# Find OpenOCD
-#
-# first try in the path
-OOCD = $(shell which openocd)
-#if OpenOCD could not be found in the path, try the toolchain dir (for backwards compatibility)
-ifeq ($(OOCD),)
-ifneq ($(TOOLCHAIN),)
-OOCD = $(shell if test -e $(TOOLCHAIN_DIR)/bin/openocd ; then echo $(TOOLCHAIN_DIR)/bin/openocd ; else echo "Warning: OpenOCD not found"; fi)
-endif
-endif
diff --git a/conf/Makefile.arm-embedded-toolchain b/conf/Makefile.arm-embedded-toolchain
index afc7fbe0ad..917ccba4ad 100644
--- a/conf/Makefile.arm-embedded-toolchain
+++ b/conf/Makefile.arm-embedded-toolchain
@@ -1,52 +1,36 @@
 # Hey Emacs, this is a -*- makefile -*-
 #
-# Copyright (C) 2012 Felix Ruess <felix.ruess@gmail.com>
+# Copyright (C) 2012-2013 Felix Ruess <felix.ruess@gmail.com>
 
 
 #
-# This is the common Makefile for finding the arm compiler and OpenOcd
+# This is the common Makefile for finding the arm compiler
 # for bare metal systems like on the ARM7TDMI, cortex M3/4
 
-#
-# try to pick up the compiler from the path
-#
-CC   = $(shell which arm-none-eabi-gcc)
-LD   = $(shell which arm-none-eabi-gcc)
-AR   = $(shell which arm-none-eabi-ar)
-CP   = $(shell which arm-none-eabi-objcopy)
-DMP  = $(shell which arm-none-eabi-objdump)
-NM   = $(shell which arm-none-eabi-nm)
-SIZE = $(shell which arm-none-eabi-size)
-GDB  = $(shell which arm-none-eabi-gdb)
-TOOLCHAIN_DIR=$(shell dirname `which arm-none-eabi-gcc`)
-GCC_LIB_DIR=$(TOOLCHAIN_DIR)/../arm-none-eabi/lib
+PREFIX ?= arm-none-eabi
 
 #
-# if not found in path, try the paparazzi toolchain in /opt
+# if gcc can't be found in path, try the paparazzi toolchain in /opt
 #
-ifeq ($(CC),)
-TOOLCHAIN=$(shell find -L /opt/paparazzi/arm-multilib -maxdepth 1 -type d -name arm-none-eabi 2>/dev/null | head -n 1)
-ifneq ($(TOOLCHAIN),)
-TOOLCHAIN_DIR=$(shell dirname $(TOOLCHAIN))
-GCC_BIN_DIR=$(TOOLCHAIN_DIR)/bin
-GCC_LIB_DIR=$(TOOLCHAIN_DIR)/arm-none-eabi/lib
-
-# Define programs and commands.
-GCC_BIN_PREFIX=$(GCC_BIN_DIR)/arm-none-eabi
-CC   = $(GCC_BIN_PREFIX)-gcc
-LD   = $(GCC_BIN_PREFIX)-gcc
-AR   = $(GCC_BIN_PREFIX)-ar
-CP   = $(GCC_BIN_PREFIX)-objcopy
-DMP  = $(GCC_BIN_PREFIX)-objdump
-NM   = $(GCC_BIN_PREFIX)-nm
-SIZE = $(GCC_BIN_PREFIX)-size
-GDB  = $(GCC_BIN_PREFIX)-gdb
-else
-# toolchain not found...
-$(error Error: arm-none-eabi-gcc cross-compiler not found! Recommended toolchain is https://launchpad.net/gcc-arm-embedded)
-endif
+ifeq ($(shell which $(PREFIX)-gcc),)
+  PPRZ_TOOLCHAIN=$(shell find -L /opt/paparazzi/arm-multilib -maxdepth 1 -type d -name arm-none-eabi 2>/dev/null | head -n 1)
+  ifneq ($(PPRZ_TOOLCHAIN),)
+    # set prefix with full path to /opt/paparazzi/arm-multilib toolchain
+    PREFIX=$(shell dirname $(PPRZ_TOOLCHAIN))/bin/arm-none-eabi
+  else
+    # no suitable toolchain found...
+    $(error Error: arm-none-eabi-gcc cross-compiler not found! Recommended toolchain is https://launchpad.net/gcc-arm-embedded)
+  endif
 endif
 
+CC   = $(PREFIX)-gcc
+LD   = $(PREFIX)-gcc
+AR   = $(PREFIX)-ar
+CP   = $(PREFIX)-objcopy
+DMP  = $(PREFIX)-objdump
+NM   = $(PREFIX)-nm
+SIZE = $(PREFIX)-size
+GDB  = $(PREFIX)-gdb
 
 # some general commands
 RM = rm
diff --git a/conf/Makefile.arm-linux b/conf/Makefile.arm-linux
index c5994d10c0..f767a488be 100644
--- a/conf/Makefile.arm-linux
+++ b/conf/Makefile.arm-linux
@@ -6,51 +6,32 @@
 # Minimal makefile for arm-linux-gnueabi or arm-none-linux-gnueabi toolchain.
 # Assuming installed in default location.
 
+PREFIX ?= arm-linux-gnueabi
 
 #
-# try to pick up the compiler from the path
+# if gcc can't be found in path, try the codesourcery toolchain in /usr/local/codesourcery
 #
-CC   = $(shell which arm-linux-gnueabi-gcc)
-LD   = $(shell which arm-linux-gnueabi-gcc)
-AR   = $(shell which arm-linux-gnueabi-ar)
-CP   = $(shell which arm-linux-gnueabi-objcopy)
-DMP  = $(shell which arm-linux-gnueabi-objdump)
-NM   = $(shell which arm-linux-gnueabi-nm)
-SIZE = $(shell which arm-linux-gnueabi-size)
-GDB  = $(shell which arm-linux-gnueabi-gdb)
-TOOLCHAIN_DIR=$(shell dirname `which arm-linux-gnueabi`)
-GCC_LIB_DIR=$(TOOLCHAIN_DIR)/../arm-linux-gnueabi/lib
-
-# if the above toolchain is used add the include folder
-CFLAGS += -I/usr/arm-linux-gnueabi/include
-
-#
-# if not found in path, try the codesourcery toolchain in /usr/local/codesourcery
-#
-ifeq ($(CC),)
-TOOLCHAIN=$(shell find -L /usr/local/codesourcery -maxdepth 2 -type d -name arm-none-linux-gnueabi 2>/dev/null | head -n 1)
-ifneq ($(TOOLCHAIN),)
-TOOLCHAIN_DIR=$(shell dirname $(TOOLCHAIN))
-GCC_BIN_DIR=$(TOOLCHAIN_DIR)/bin
-GCC_LIB_DIR=$(TOOLCHAIN_DIR)/arm-none-linux-gnueabi/lib
-
-# Define programs and commands.
-GCC_BIN_PREFIX=$(GCC_BIN_DIR)/arm-none-linux-gnueabi
-CC   = $(GCC_BIN_PREFIX)-gcc
-LD   = $(GCC_BIN_PREFIX)-gcc
-AR   = $(GCC_BIN_PREFIX)-ar
-CP   = $(GCC_BIN_PREFIX)-objcopy
-DMP  = $(GCC_BIN_PREFIX)-objdump
-NM   = $(GCC_BIN_PREFIX)-nm
-SIZE = $(GCC_BIN_PREFIX)-size
-GDB  = $(GCC_BIN_PREFIX)-gdb
+ifeq ($(shell which $(PREFIX)-gcc),)
+  TOOLCHAIN=$(shell find -L /usr/local/codesourcery -maxdepth 2 -type d -name arm-none-linux-gnueabi 2>/dev/null | head -n 1)
+  ifneq ($(TOOLCHAIN),)
+    PREFIX=$(shell dirname $(TOOLCHAIN))/bin/arm-none-linux-gnueabi
+  else
+    # no suitable toolchain found...
+    $(error Error: arm-linux-gnueabi-gcc cross-compiler not found! Please install the gcc-arm-linux-gnueabi package.)
+  endif
 else
-# toolchain not found...
-endif
+  # this was previously explicitly added, but shouln't be needed...
+  #CFLAGS += -I/usr/arm-linux-gnueabi/include
 endif
 
-# checking if gcc has thumb2 instruction
-MULTILIB = $(shell if $(CC) --print-multi-lib | grep thumb2 > /dev/null ; then echo "yes"; else echo "no"; fi)
+CC   = $(PREFIX)-gcc
+LD   = $(PREFIX)-gcc
+AR   = $(PREFIX)-ar
+CP   = $(PREFIX)-objcopy
+DMP  = $(PREFIX)-objdump
+NM   = $(PREFIX)-nm
+SIZE = $(PREFIX)-size
+GDB  = $(PREFIX)-gdb
 
 # some general commands
 RM = rm
diff --git a/conf/Makefile.lpc21 b/conf/Makefile.lpc21
index 80fd9c2e16..5d2ea4acbb 100644
--- a/conf/Makefile.lpc21
+++ b/conf/Makefile.lpc21
@@ -144,6 +144,7 @@ LPC21IAP = $(PAPARAZZI_SRC)/sw/ground_segment/lpc21iap/lpc21iap
 
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # Flash-Programming support using openocd
+OOCD ?= openocd
 OOCD_INTERFACE = arm-usb-ocd
 OOCD_TARGET    = csc
 
diff --git a/conf/Makefile.omap b/conf/Makefile.omap
index 876099cbec..21eb4d55b6 100644
--- a/conf/Makefile.omap
+++ b/conf/Makefile.omap
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ OBJ_C_OMAP = $(SRC_C_OMAP:%.c=$(OBJDIR)/%.o)
 SRC_CPP_OMAP  = $($(TARGET).cpp_srcs)
 OBJ_CPP_OMAP = $(SRC_CPP_OMAP:%.cpp=$(OBJDIR)/%.o)
 
-all: build
+all: printcommands build
 
 build: $(OBJDIR) elf
 
diff --git a/conf/Makefile.stm32-upload b/conf/Makefile.stm32-upload
index 2c960fb1bb..d19b0e6f36 100644
--- a/conf/Makefile.stm32-upload
+++ b/conf/Makefile.stm32-upload
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@ else ifeq ($(FLASH_MODE),JTAG)
 # either via normal jtag or BlackMagicProbe
 ifeq ($(BMP_PORT),)
 # normal jtag via OpenOCD
+OOCD ?= openocd
 upload: $(OBJDIR)/$(TARGET).hex
 	@echo "Assuming luftboot bootloader: $(ASSUMING_LUFTBOOT)"
 	@echo "Using OOCD = $(OOCD)"
diff --git a/sw/ext/Makefile b/sw/ext/Makefile
index c3934a7980..ca213e8270 100644
--- a/sw/ext/Makefile
+++ b/sw/ext/Makefile
@@ -27,22 +27,10 @@ Q=@
 PAPARAZZI_SRC=../..
 EXT_DIR=$(PAPARAZZI_SRC)/sw/ext
 
-PREFIX = arm-none-eabi
-
 #
-# if we can't find arm-none-eabi-gcc in the path, overwrite PREFIX with explicit path
+# find compiler toolchain
 #
-HAVE_ARM_NONE_EABI_GCC := $(shell which arm-none-eabi-gcc)
-
-ifeq ($(strip $(HAVE_ARM_NONE_EABI_GCC)),)
-# not found in PATH, check paparazzi toolchain
-
-	TOOLCHAIN=$(shell find -L /opt/paparazzi/arm-multilib -maxdepth 1 -type d -name arm-none-eabi 2>/dev/null | head -n 1)
-	ifneq ($(TOOLCHAIN),)
-		TOOLCHAIN_DIR=$(shell dirname $(TOOLCHAIN))
-		PREFIX = $(TOOLCHAIN_DIR)/bin/arm-none-eabi
-	endif
-endif
+include $(PAPARAZZI_SRC)/conf/Makefile.arm-embedded-toolchain
 
 
 all: libopencm3.module luftboot.module