diff --git c/Makefile w/Makefile
index ba61cc2a..d301c3c2 100644
--- c/Makefile
+++ w/Makefile
@@ -17,6 +17,9 @@
 
 # Set the shell.
 SHELL=/usr/bin/env bash
+# Use standard variables if missing
+AR      ?= ar
+ARFLAGS ?= cr
 
 # Include the configuration and set the local directory structure.
 ifeq (,$(findstring clean, $(MAKECMDGOALS)))
@@ -129,7 +132,7 @@ $(LOCAL_TMP)/Streams.o: $(LOCAL_SRC)/Streams.cc Makefile.inc
 $(LOCAL_TMP)/%.o: $(LOCAL_SRC)/%.cc
 	$(CXX) $< -o $@ -c $(OBJ_COMMON)
 $(LOCAL_LIB)/libpythia8.a: $(OBJECTS)
-	ar cr $@ $^
+	$(AR) $(ARFLAGS) $@ $^
 $(LOCAL_LIB)/libpythia8$(LIB_SUFFIX): $(OBJECTS)
 	$(CXX) $^ -o $@ $(CXX_COMMON) $(CXX_SHARED) $(CXX_SONAME)$(notdir $@)\
 	  $(LIB_COMMON) $(CXX_DTAGS)