diff --git a/tools/Config.mk b/tools/Config.mk
index ef78ee2b7e..464d23b298 100644
--- a/tools/Config.mk
+++ b/tools/Config.mk
@@ -458,6 +458,15 @@ define PRELINK
 endef
 endif
 
+# PREBUILD -- Perform pre build operations
+# Some architectures require the use of special tools and special handling
+# BEFORE building NuttX. The `Make.defs` files for those architectures
+# should override the following define with the correct operations for
+# that platform.
+
+define PREBUILD
+endef
+
 # POSTBUILD -- Perform post build operations
 # Some architectures require the use of special tools and special handling
 # AFTER building the NuttX binary.  Make.defs files for those architectures
diff --git a/tools/Unix.mk b/tools/Unix.mk
index 439066b2ff..90d90263d9 100644
--- a/tools/Unix.mk
+++ b/tools/Unix.mk
@@ -244,7 +244,7 @@ include/nuttx/version.h: $(TOPDIR)/.version tools/mkversion$(HOSTEXEEXT)
 # part of the overall NuttX configuration sequence. Notice that the
 # tools/mkconfig tool is built and used to create include/nuttx/config.h
 
-tools/mkconfig$(HOSTEXEEXT):
+tools/mkconfig$(HOSTEXEEXT): prebuild
 	$(Q) $(MAKE) -C tools -f Makefile.host mkconfig$(HOSTEXEEXT)
 
 include/nuttx/config.h: $(TOPDIR)/.config tools/mkconfig$(HOSTEXEEXT)
@@ -486,6 +486,16 @@ clean_context: clean_dirlinks
 
 include tools/LibTargets.mk
 
+# prebuild
+#
+# Some architectures require the use of special tools and special handling
+# BEFORE building NuttX. The `Make.defs` files for those architectures
+# should override the following define with the correct operations for
+# that platform.
+
+prebuild:
+	$(call PREBUILD, $(TOPDIR))
+
 # pass1 and pass2
 #
 # If the 2 pass build option is selected, then this pass1 target is
diff --git a/tools/Win.mk b/tools/Win.mk
index 483910339c..af8b21c7ad 100644
--- a/tools/Win.mk
+++ b/tools/Win.mk
@@ -231,7 +231,7 @@ include\nuttx\version.h: $(TOPDIR)\.version tools\mkversion$(HOSTEXEEXT)
 # part of the overall NuttX configuration sequence. Notice that the
 # tools\mkconfig tool is built and used to create include\nuttx\config.h
 
-tools\mkconfig$(HOSTEXEEXT):
+tools\mkconfig$(HOSTEXEEXT): prebuild
 	$(Q) $(MAKE) -C tools -f Makefile.host mkconfig$(HOSTEXEEXT)
 
 include\nuttx\config.h: $(TOPDIR)\.config tools\mkconfig$(HOSTEXEEXT)
@@ -473,6 +473,16 @@ clean_context:
 
 include tools/LibTargets.mk
 
+# prebuild
+#
+# Some architectures require the use of special tools and special handling
+# BEFORE building NuttX. The `Make.defs` files for those architectures
+# should override the following define with the correct operations for
+# that platform.
+
+prebuild:
+	$(call PREBUILD, $(TOPDIR))
+
 # pass1 and pass2
 #
 # If the 2 pass build option is selected, then this pass1 target is