diff --git a/lib/mini_portile2/mini_portile.rb b/lib/mini_portile2/mini_portile.rb
index 8110c04..4a30181 100644
--- a/lib/mini_portile2/mini_portile.rb
+++ b/lib/mini_portile2/mini_portile.rb
@@ -35,17 +35,45 @@ class MiniPortile
   attr_accessor :host, :files, :patch_files, :target, :logger, :source_directory
 
   def self.windows?
-    RbConfig::CONFIG['target_os'] =~ /mswin|mingw/
+    target_os =~ /mswin|mingw/
   end
 
   # GNU MinGW compiled Ruby?
   def self.mingw?
-    RbConfig::CONFIG['target_os'] =~ /mingw/
+    target_os =~ /mingw/
   end
 
   # MS Visual-C compiled Ruby?
   def self.mswin?
-    RbConfig::CONFIG['target_os'] =~ /mswin/
+    target_os =~ /mswin/
+  end
+
+  def self.darwin?
+    target_os =~ /darwin/
+  end
+
+  def self.freebsd?
+    target_os =~ /freebsd/
+  end
+
+  def self.openbsd?
+    target_os =~ /openbsd/
+  end
+
+  def self.linux?
+    target_os =~ /linux/
+  end
+
+  def self.solaris?
+    target_os =~ /solaris/
+  end
+
+  def self.target_os
+    RbConfig::CONFIG['target_os']
+  end
+
+  def self.target_cpu
+    RbConfig::CONFIG['target_cpu']
   end
 
   def initialize(name, version, **kwargs)
diff --git a/lib/mini_portile2/mini_portile_cmake.rb b/lib/mini_portile2/mini_portile_cmake.rb
index bb7f3e4..81c4158 100644
--- a/lib/mini_portile2/mini_portile_cmake.rb
+++ b/lib/mini_portile2/mini_portile_cmake.rb
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@
 require 'open3'
 
 class MiniPortileCMake < MiniPortile
+  attr_accessor :system_name
+
   def configure_prefix
     "-DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=#{File.expand_path(port_path)}"
   end
@@ -12,13 +14,10 @@ def initialize(name, version, **kwargs)
   end
 
   def configure_defaults
-    if MiniPortile.mswin? && generator_available?('NMake')
-      ['-G', 'NMake Makefiles']
-    elsif MiniPortile.mingw? && generator_available?('MSYS')
-      ['-G', 'MSYS Makefiles']
-    else
-      []
-    end
+    [
+      generator_defaults,
+      cmake_compile_flags,
+    ].flatten
   end
 
   def configure
@@ -52,6 +51,77 @@ def cmake_cmd
 
   private
 
+  def generator_defaults
+    if MiniPortile.mswin? && generator_available?('NMake')
+      ['-G', 'NMake Makefiles']
+    elsif MiniPortile.mingw? && generator_available?('MSYS')
+      ['-G', 'MSYS Makefiles']
+    else
+      []
+    end
+  end
+
+  def cmake_compile_flags
+    c_compiler, cxx_compiler = find_c_and_cxx_compilers(host)
+
+    # needed to ensure cross-compilation with CMake targets the right CPU and compilers
+    [
+      "-DCMAKE_SYSTEM_NAME=#{cmake_system_name}",
+      "-DCMAKE_SYSTEM_PROCESSOR=#{MiniPortile.target_cpu}",
+      "-DCMAKE_C_COMPILER=#{c_compiler}",
+      "-DCMAKE_CXX_COMPILER=#{cxx_compiler}"
+    ]
+  end
+
+  def find_compiler(compilers)
+    compilers.find { |binary| which(binary) }
+  end
+
+  # configure automatically searches for the right compiler based on the
+  # `--host` parameter.  However, CMake doesn't have an equivalent feature.
+  # Search for the right compiler for the target architecture using
+  # some basic heruistics.
+  def find_c_and_cxx_compilers(host)
+    c_compiler = ENV["CC"]
+    cxx_compiler = ENV["CXX"]
+
+    if MiniPortile.darwin?
+      c_compiler ||= 'clang'
+      cxx_compiler ||='clang++'
+    else
+      c_compiler ||= 'gcc'
+      cxx_compiler ||= 'g++'
+    end
+
+    c_platform_compiler = "#{host}-#{c_compiler}"
+    cxx_platform_compiler = "#{host}-#{cxx_compiler}"
+    c_compiler = find_compiler([c_platform_compiler, c_compiler])
+    cxx_compiler = find_compiler([cxx_platform_compiler, cxx_compiler])
+
+    [c_compiler, cxx_compiler]
+  end
+
+  # Full list: https://gitlab.kitware.com/cmake/cmake/-/blob/v3.26.4/Modules/CMakeDetermineSystem.cmake?ref_type=tags#L12-31
+  def cmake_system_name
+    return system_name if system_name
+
+    if MiniPortile.linux?
+      'Linux'
+    elsif MiniPortile.darwin?
+      'Darwin'
+    elsif MiniPortile.windows?
+      'Windows'
+    elsif MiniPortile.freebsd?
+      'FreeBSD'
+    elsif MiniPortile.openbsd?
+      'OpenBSD'
+    elsif MiniPortile.solaris?
+      'SunOS'
+    else
+      raise "Unable to set CMAKE_SYSTEM_NAME for #{MiniPortile.target_os}"
+    end
+  end
+
   def generator_available?(generator_type)
     stdout_str, status = Open3.capture2("#{cmake_cmd} --help")
 
diff --git a/test/test_cmake.rb b/test/test_cmake.rb
index c64f3f3..5711284 100644
--- a/test/test_cmake.rb
+++ b/test/test_cmake.rb
@@ -14,13 +14,11 @@ def before_all
     create_tar(@tar_path, @assets_path, "test-cmake-1.0")
     start_webrick(File.dirname(@tar_path))
 
-    @recipe = MiniPortileCMake.new("test-cmake", "1.0").tap do |recipe|
-      recipe.files << "http://localhost:#{HTTP_PORT}/#{ERB::Util.url_encode(File.basename(@tar_path))}"
-      recipe.patch_files << File.join(@assets_path, "patch 1.diff")
-      git_dir = File.join(@assets_path, "git")
-      with_custom_git_dir(git_dir) do
-        recipe.cook
-      end
+    @recipe = init_recipe
+
+    git_dir = File.join(@assets_path, "git")
+    with_custom_git_dir(git_dir) do
+      recipe.cook
     end
   end
 
@@ -57,6 +55,13 @@ def test_install
     binary = File.join(recipe.path, "bin", exe_name)
     assert File.exist?(binary), binary
   end
+
+  def init_recipe
+    MiniPortileCMake.new("test-cmake", "1.0").tap do |recipe|
+      recipe.files << "http://localhost:#{HTTP_PORT}/#{ERB::Util.url_encode(File.basename(@tar_path))}"
+      recipe.patch_files << File.join(@assets_path, "patch 1.diff")
+    end
+  end
 end
 
 class TestCMakeConfig < TestCMake
@@ -77,26 +82,101 @@ def test_make_command_configuration
     end
   end
 
+  def test_configure_defaults_with_macos
+    recipe = init_recipe
+    recipe.host = 'some-host'
+
+    MiniPortile.stub(:darwin?, true) do
+      with_stubbed_target(os: 'darwin22', cpu: 'arm64') do
+        with_compilers(recipe, host_prefix: true, c_compiler: 'clang', cxx_compiler: 'clang++') do
+          Open3.stub(:capture2, cmake_help_mock('Unix')) do
+            assert_equal(
+              [
+                "-DCMAKE_SYSTEM_NAME=Darwin",
+                "-DCMAKE_SYSTEM_PROCESSOR=arm64",
+                "-DCMAKE_C_COMPILER=some-host-clang",
+                "-DCMAKE_CXX_COMPILER=some-host-clang++"
+              ],
+              recipe.configure_defaults)
+          end
+        end
+      end
+    end
+  end
+
+  def test_configure_defaults_with_manual_system_name
+    recipe = init_recipe
+    recipe.system_name = 'Custom'
+
+    MiniPortile.stub(:darwin?, false) do
+      with_stubbed_target do
+        with_compilers(recipe) do
+          Open3.stub(:capture2, cmake_help_mock('Unix')) do
+            assert_equal(
+              [
+                "-DCMAKE_SYSTEM_NAME=Custom",
+                "-DCMAKE_SYSTEM_PROCESSOR=x86_64",
+                "-DCMAKE_C_COMPILER=gcc",
+                "-DCMAKE_CXX_COMPILER=g++"
+              ],
+              recipe.configure_defaults)
+          end
+        end
+      end
+    end
+  end
+
   def test_configure_defaults_with_unix_makefiles
-    Open3.stub(:capture2, cmake_help_mock('Unix')) do
-      MiniPortile.stub(:mingw?, true) do
-        assert_equal([], @recipe.configure_defaults)
+    recipe = init_recipe
+
+    MiniPortile.stub(:linux?, true) do
+      MiniPortile.stub(:darwin?, false) do
+        with_stubbed_target do
+          with_compilers(recipe) do
+            Open3.stub(:capture2, cmake_help_mock('Unix')) do
+              MiniPortile.stub(:mingw?, true) do
+                assert_equal(default_x86_compile_flags,
+                            recipe.configure_defaults)
+              end
+            end
+          end
+        end
       end
     end
   end
 
   def test_configure_defaults_with_msys_makefiles
-    Open3.stub(:capture2, cmake_help_mock('MSYS')) do
-      MiniPortile.stub(:mingw?, true) do
-        assert_equal(['-G', 'MSYS Makefiles'], @recipe.configure_defaults)
+    recipe = init_recipe
+
+    MiniPortile.stub(:linux?, true) do
+      MiniPortile.stub(:darwin?, false) do
+        with_stubbed_target do
+          with_compilers(recipe) do
+            Open3.stub(:capture2, cmake_help_mock('MSYS')) do
+              MiniPortile.stub(:mingw?, true) do
+                assert_equal(['-G', 'MSYS Makefiles'] + default_x86_compile_flags, recipe.configure_defaults)
+              end
+            end
+          end
+        end
       end
     end
   end
 
   def test_configure_defaults_with_nmake_makefiles
-    Open3.stub(:capture2, cmake_help_mock('NMake')) do
-      MiniPortile.stub(:mswin?, true) do
-        assert_equal(['-G', 'NMake Makefiles'], @recipe.configure_defaults)
+    recipe = init_recipe
+
+    MiniPortile.stub(:linux?, true) do
+      MiniPortile.stub(:darwin?, false) do
+        with_stubbed_target do
+          with_compilers(recipe) do
+            Open3.stub(:capture2, cmake_help_mock('NMake')) do
+              MiniPortile.stub(:mswin?, true) do
+                assert_equal(['-G', 'NMake Makefiles'] + default_x86_compile_flags, recipe.configure_defaults)
+              end
+            end
+          end
+        end
       end
     end
   end
@@ -114,12 +194,56 @@ def test_cmake_command_configuration
 
   private
 
+  def with_stubbed_target(os: 'linux', cpu: 'x86_64')
+    MiniPortile.stub(:target_os, os) do
+      MiniPortile.stub(:target_cpu, cpu) do
+        yield
+      end
+    end
+  end
+
+  def with_compilers(recipe, host_prefix: false, c_compiler: 'gcc', cxx_compiler: 'g++')
+    mock = MiniTest::Mock.new
+
+    if host_prefix
+      mock.expect(:call, true, ["#{recipe.host}-#{c_compiler}"])
+      mock.expect(:call, true, ["#{recipe.host}-#{cxx_compiler}"])
+    else
+      mock.expect(:call, false, ["#{recipe.host}-#{c_compiler}"])
+      mock.expect(:call, true, [c_compiler])
+      mock.expect(:call, false, ["#{recipe.host}-#{cxx_compiler}"])
+      mock.expect(:call, true, [cxx_compiler])
+    end
+
+    recipe.stub(:which, mock) do
+      yield
+    end
+  end
+
+  def default_x86_compile_flags
+    [
+      "-DCMAKE_SYSTEM_NAME=Linux",
+      "-DCMAKE_SYSTEM_PROCESSOR=x86_64",
+      "-DCMAKE_C_COMPILER=gcc",
+      "-DCMAKE_CXX_COMPILER=g++"
+    ]
+  end
+
+  def default_macos_compile_flags
+    [
+      "-DCMAKE_SYSTEM_NAME=Darwin",
+      "-DCMAKE_SYSTEM_PROCESSOR=arm64",
+      "-DCMAKE_C_COMPILER=some-host-clang",
+      "-DCMAKE_CXX_COMPILER=some-host-clang++"
+    ]
+  end
+
   def cmake_help_mock(generator_type)
     open3_mock = MiniTest::Mock.new
     cmake_script = <<~SCRIPT
-    echo "The following generators are available on this platform (* marks default):"
-    echo "* #{generator_type} Makefiles               = Generates standard #{generator_type.upcase} makefiles."
-  SCRIPT
+      echo "The following generators are available on this platform (* marks default):"
+      echo "* #{generator_type} Makefiles               = Generates standard #{generator_type.upcase} makefiles."
+    SCRIPT
 
     exit_status = MiniTest::Mock.new
     exit_status.expect(:success?, true)