diff --git a/.github/workflows/compat53-tests.yml b/.github/workflows/compat53-tests.yml
index 2149853..02a9674 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/compat53-tests.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/compat53-tests.yml
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ jobs:
           if [ "${{ matrix.external }}" = true ]; then DEF="-DCOMPAT53_PREFIX=compat53" SRC="c-api/compat-5.3.c"; fi
           ${CC} ${CFLAGS} -Iold/include ${DEF} -shared -o old/testmod.so tests/testmod.c ${SRC}
           ${CC} ${CFLAGS} -Inew/include ${DEF} -shared -o new/testmod.so tests/testmod.c ${SRC}
-          gcc ${CFLAGS} -Iold/include ${DEF} -shared -o old/compat53.so ltablib.c lutf8lib.c lstrlib.c liolib.c ${SRC}
+          ${CC} ${CFLAGS} -Iold/include ${DEF} -shared -o old/compat53.so ltablib.c lutf8lib.c lstrlib.c liolib.c ${SRC}
       - name: run test scripts
         run: |
           (cd old && bin/lua ../tests/test.lua) > old.txt