diff --git a/arch/xtensa/core/CMakeLists.txt b/arch/xtensa/core/CMakeLists.txt
index d03e3641b42b4b..7d7e260ca0b086 100644
--- a/arch/xtensa/core/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/arch/xtensa/core/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ set(CORE_ISA_DM ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/zephyr/include/generated/zephyr/core-isa-dM.
 set(CORE_ISA_IN ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/zephyr/include/generated/core-isa-dM.c)
 file(WRITE ${CORE_ISA_IN} "#include <xtensa/config/core-isa.h>\n")
 add_custom_command(OUTPUT ${CORE_ISA_DM}
-  COMMAND ${CMAKE_C_COMPILER} -E -dM -U__XCC__
+  COMMAND ${CMAKE_C_COMPILER} -E -dM -U__XCC__ ${XTENSA_CORE_LOCAL_C_FLAG}
           -I${ZEPHYR_XTENSA_MODULE_DIR}/zephyr/soc/${CONFIG_SOC}
           -I${SOC_FULL_DIR}
           ${CORE_ISA_IN} -o ${CORE_ISA_DM})
diff --git a/cmake/compiler/xcc/generic.cmake b/cmake/compiler/xcc/generic.cmake
index b6be58ceb9f467..d9020bf59bff88 100644
--- a/cmake/compiler/xcc/generic.cmake
+++ b/cmake/compiler/xcc/generic.cmake
@@ -17,13 +17,13 @@ TOOLCHAIN_VER: ${TOOLCHAIN_VER}
 endif()
 
 execute_process(
-  COMMAND ${CMAKE_C_COMPILER} --version
+  COMMAND ${CMAKE_C_COMPILER} --version ${XTENSA_CORE_LOCAL_C_FLAG}
   RESULT_VARIABLE ret
   OUTPUT_VARIABLE stdoutput
   )
 if(ret)
   message(FATAL_ERROR "Executing the below command failed. Are permissions set correctly?
-  ${CMAKE_C_COMPILER} --version
+  ${CMAKE_C_COMPILER} --version ${XTENSA_CORE_LOCAL_C_FLAG}
   ${stdoutput}
 "
     )
diff --git a/cmake/toolchain/xcc/common.cmake b/cmake/toolchain/xcc/common.cmake
index 7bca32f4e454b6..ad98033e631a71 100644
--- a/cmake/toolchain/xcc/common.cmake
+++ b/cmake/toolchain/xcc/common.cmake
@@ -7,7 +7,24 @@ if(NOT EXISTS ${XTENSA_TOOLCHAIN_PATH})
   message(FATAL_ERROR "Nothing found at XTENSA_TOOLCHAIN_PATH: '${XTENSA_TOOLCHAIN_PATH}'")
 endif()
 
-set(TOOLCHAIN_HOME ${XTENSA_TOOLCHAIN_PATH}/$ENV{TOOLCHAIN_VER}/XtensaTools)
+if(DEFINED ENV{TOOLCHAIN_VER})
+  set(XTENSA_TOOLCHAIN_VER $ENV{TOOLCHAIN_VER})
+elseif(DEFINED ENV{TOOLCHAIN_VER_${NORMALIZED_BOARD_TARGET}})
+  set(XTENSA_TOOLCHAIN_VER $ENV{TOOLCHAIN_VER_${NORMALIZED_BOARD_TARGET}})
+else()
+  message(FATAL "Environment variable TOOLCHAIN_VER must be set")
+endif()
+
+if(DEFINED ENV{XTENSA_CORE_${NORMALIZED_BOARD_TARGET}})
+  set(XTENSA_CORE_LOCAL_C_FLAG "--xtensa-core=$ENV{XTENSA_CORE_${NORMALIZED_BOARD_TARGET}}")
+  list(APPEND TOOLCHAIN_C_FLAGS "--xtensa-core=$ENV{XTENSA_CORE_${NORMALIZED_BOARD_TARGET}}")
+else()
+  # Not having XTENSA_CORE is not necessarily fatal as
+  # the toolchain can have a default core configuration to use.
+  set(XTENSA_CORE_LOCAL_C_FLAG)
+endif()
+
+set(TOOLCHAIN_HOME ${XTENSA_TOOLCHAIN_PATH}/${XTENSA_TOOLCHAIN_VER}/XtensaTools)
 
 set(LINKER ld)
 set(BINTOOLS gnu)