diff --git a/foreign_cc/built_tools/make_build.bzl b/foreign_cc/built_tools/make_build.bzl
index 0baaa5c..b784dce 100644
--- a/foreign_cc/built_tools/make_build.bzl
+++ b/foreign_cc/built_tools/make_build.bzl
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ load(
     "get_flags_info",
     "get_tools_info",
 )
+load("//foreign_cc/private:detect_xcompile.bzl", "detect_xcompile")
 load("//foreign_cc/private/framework:platform.bzl", "os_name")
 
 def _make_tool_impl(ctx):
@@ -74,6 +75,25 @@ def _make_tool_impl(ctx):
         if os_name(ctx) == "macos":
             non_sysroot_ldflags += ["-undefined", "error"]
 
+        configure_options = [
+            "--without-guile",
+            "--with-guile=no",
+            "--disable-dependency-tracking",
+            "--prefix=$$INSTALLDIR$$",
+        ]
+
+        install_cmd = ["./make install"]
+
+        xcompile_options = detect_xcompile(ctx)
+        if xcompile_options:
+            configure_options.extend(xcompile_options)
+
+            # We can't use make to install make when cross-compiling
+            install_cmd = [
+                "mkdir -p $$INSTALLDIR$$/bin",
+                "cp -p make $$INSTALLDIR$$/bin/make",
+            ]
+
         env.update({
             "AR": absolute_ar,
             "ARFLAGS": _join_flags_list(ctx.workspace_name, arflags),
@@ -85,11 +105,10 @@ def _make_tool_impl(ctx):
 
         configure_env = " ".join(["%s=\"%s\"" % (key, value) for key, value in env.items()])
         script = [
-            "%s ./configure --without-guile --with-guile=no --disable-dependency-tracking --prefix=$$INSTALLDIR$$" % configure_env,
+            "%s ./configure %s" % (configure_env, " ".join(configure_options)),
             "cat build.cfg",
             "./build.sh",
-            "./make install",
-        ]
+        ] + install_cmd
 
     return built_tool_rule_impl(
         ctx,
diff --git a/foreign_cc/built_tools/pkgconfig_build.bzl b/foreign_cc/built_tools/pkgconfig_build.bzl
index f623c76..1bbf9a6 100644
--- a/foreign_cc/built_tools/pkgconfig_build.bzl
+++ b/foreign_cc/built_tools/pkgconfig_build.bzl
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ load(
     "get_flags_info",
     "get_tools_info",
 )
+load("//foreign_cc/private:detect_xcompile.bzl", "detect_xcompile")
 load("//foreign_cc/private/framework:platform.bzl", "os_name")
 load("//toolchains/native_tools:tool_access.bzl", "get_make_data")
 
@@ -61,6 +62,15 @@ def _pkgconfig_tool_impl(ctx):
 
     make_data = get_make_data(ctx)
 
+    configure_options = [
+        "--with-internal-glib",
+        "--prefix=$$INSTALLDIR$$",
+    ]
+
+    xcompile_options = detect_xcompile(ctx)
+    if xcompile_options:
+        configure_options.extend(xcompile_options)
+
     env.update({
         "AR": absolute_ar,
         "ARFLAGS": _join_flags_list(ctx.workspace_name, arflags),
@@ -73,7 +83,7 @@ def _pkgconfig_tool_impl(ctx):
 
     configure_env = " ".join(["%s=\"%s\"" % (key, value) for key, value in env.items()])
     script = [
-        "%s ./configure  --with-internal-glib --prefix=$$INSTALLDIR$$" % configure_env,
+        "%s ./configure %s" % (configure_env, " ".join(configure_options)),
         "%s" % make_data.path,
         "%s install" % make_data.path,
     ]
diff --git a/foreign_cc/built_tools/private/built_tools_framework.bzl b/foreign_cc/built_tools/private/built_tools_framework.bzl
index bec5599..1431378 100644
--- a/foreign_cc/built_tools/private/built_tools_framework.bzl
+++ b/foreign_cc/built_tools/private/built_tools_framework.bzl
@@ -5,9 +5,16 @@ load("//foreign_cc/private:cc_toolchain_util.bzl", "absolutize_path_in_str")
 load("//foreign_cc/private:detect_root.bzl", "detect_root")
 load("//foreign_cc/private:framework.bzl", "get_env_prelude", "wrap_outputs")
 load("//foreign_cc/private/framework:helpers.bzl", "convert_shell_script", "shebang")
+load("//foreign_cc/private/framework:platform.bzl", "PLATFORM_CONSTRAINTS_RULE_ATTRIBUTES")
 
 # Common attributes for all built_tool rules
 FOREIGN_CC_BUILT_TOOLS_ATTRS = {
+    "configure_xcompile": attr.bool(
+        doc = (
+            "If this is set and an xcompile scenario is detected, pass the necessary autotools flags. (Only applies if autotools is used)"
+        ),
+        default = False,
+    ),
     "env": attr.string_dict(
         doc = "Environment variables to set during the build. This attribute is subject to make variable substitution.",
         default = {},
@@ -26,6 +33,9 @@ FOREIGN_CC_BUILT_TOOLS_ATTRS = {
     ),
 }
 
+# this would be cleaner as x | y, but that's not supported in bazel 5.4.0
+FOREIGN_CC_BUILT_TOOLS_ATTRS.update(PLATFORM_CONSTRAINTS_RULE_ATTRIBUTES)
+
 # Common fragments for all built_tool rules
 FOREIGN_CC_BUILT_TOOLS_FRAGMENTS = [
     "apple",
diff --git a/foreign_cc/cmake.bzl b/foreign_cc/cmake.bzl
index d781dcd..17b5239 100644
--- a/foreign_cc/cmake.bzl
+++ b/foreign_cc/cmake.bzl
@@ -253,6 +253,7 @@ def _create_configure_script(configureParameters):
 
     configure_script = create_cmake_script(
         workspace_name = ctx.workspace_name,
+        current_label = ctx.label,
         target_os = target_os_name(ctx),
         target_arch = target_arch_name(ctx),
         host_os = os_name(ctx),
diff --git a/foreign_cc/configure.bzl b/foreign_cc/configure.bzl
index a0e0519..d0f50d1 100644
--- a/foreign_cc/configure.bzl
+++ b/foreign_cc/configure.bzl
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ load(
 )
 load("//foreign_cc/private:configure_script.bzl", "create_configure_script")
 load("//foreign_cc/private:detect_root.bzl", "detect_root")
+load("//foreign_cc/private:detect_xcompile.bzl", "detect_xcompile")
 load(
     "//foreign_cc/private:framework.bzl",
     "CC_EXTERNAL_RULE_ATTRIBUTES",
@@ -78,6 +79,10 @@ def _create_configure_script(configureParameters):
     configure_prefix = "{} ".format(expand_locations_and_make_variables(ctx, ctx.attr.configure_prefix, "configure_prefix", data)) if ctx.attr.configure_prefix else ""
     configure_options = [expand_locations_and_make_variables(ctx, option, "configure_option", data) for option in ctx.attr.configure_options] if ctx.attr.configure_options else []
 
+    xcompile_options = detect_xcompile(ctx)
+    if xcompile_options:
+        configure_options.extend(xcompile_options)
+
     for target in ctx.attr.targets:
         # Configure will have generated sources into `$BUILD_TMPDIR` so make sure we `cd` there
         make_commands.append("{prefix}{make} {target} {args}".format(
@@ -187,6 +192,12 @@ def _attrs():
         "configure_prefix": attr.string(
             doc = "A prefix for the call to the `configure_command`.",
         ),
+        "configure_xcompile": attr.bool(
+            doc = (
+                "If this is set and an xcompile scenario is detected, pass the necessary autotools flags."
+            ),
+            default = False,
+        ),
         "install_prefix": attr.string(
             doc = (
                 "Install prefix, i.e. relative path to where to install the result of the build. " +
diff --git a/foreign_cc/private/BUILD.bazel b/foreign_cc/private/BUILD.bazel
index ccbe9db..d08851b 100644
--- a/foreign_cc/private/BUILD.bazel
+++ b/foreign_cc/private/BUILD.bazel
@@ -39,9 +39,11 @@ bzl_library(
     deps = [
         ":cc_toolchain_util",
         ":detect_root",
+        ":detect_xcompile.bzl",
         ":run_shell_file_utils",
         "//foreign_cc:providers",
         "//foreign_cc/private/framework:helpers",
+        "//foreign_cc/private/framework:platform",
         "@bazel_skylib//lib:collections",
         "@bazel_skylib//lib:paths",
         "@bazel_tools//tools/cpp:toolchain_utils.bzl",
diff --git a/foreign_cc/private/cmake_script.bzl b/foreign_cc/private/cmake_script.bzl
index bfe21bd..b735162 100644
--- a/foreign_cc/private/cmake_script.bzl
+++ b/foreign_cc/private/cmake_script.bzl
@@ -31,6 +31,9 @@ _TARGET_ARCH_PARAMS = {
     "aarch64": {
         "CMAKE_SYSTEM_PROCESSOR": "aarch64",
     },
+    "s390x": {
+        "CMAKE_SYSTEM_PROCESSOR": "s390x",
+    },
     "x86_64": {
         "CMAKE_SYSTEM_PROCESSOR": "x86_64",
     },
@@ -38,6 +41,7 @@ _TARGET_ARCH_PARAMS = {
 
 def create_cmake_script(
         workspace_name,
+        current_label,
         target_os,
         target_arch,
         host_os,
@@ -59,6 +63,7 @@ def create_cmake_script(
 
     Args:
         workspace_name: current workspace name
+        current_label: The label of the target currently being built
         target_os: The target OS for the build
         target_arch: The target arch for the build
         host_os: The execution OS for the build
@@ -120,7 +125,10 @@ def create_cmake_script(
     # by setting CMAKE_SYSTEM_NAME and CMAKE_SYSTEM_PROCESSOR,
     # see https://github.com/bazelbuild/rules_foreign_cc/issues/289,
     # and https://github.com/bazelbuild/rules_foreign_cc/pull/1062
-    if target_os != host_os and target_os != "unknown":
+    if target_os == "unknown":
+        # buildifier: disable=print
+        print("target_os is unknown, please update foreign_cc/private/framework/platform.bzl and foreign_cc/private/cmake_script.bzl; triggered by", current_label)
+    elif target_os != host_os:
         params.cache.update(_TARGET_OS_PARAMS.get(target_os, {}))
         params.cache.update(_TARGET_ARCH_PARAMS.get(target_arch, {}))
 
diff --git a/foreign_cc/private/detect_xcompile.bzl b/foreign_cc/private/detect_xcompile.bzl
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..62b74a3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/foreign_cc/private/detect_xcompile.bzl
@@ -0,0 +1,61 @@
+# buildifier: disable=module-docstring
+load(
+    "//foreign_cc/private/framework:platform.bzl",
+    "arch_name",
+    "os_name",
+    "target_arch_name",
+    "target_os_name",
+    "triplet_name",
+)
+
+def detect_xcompile(ctx):
+    """A helper function for detecting and setting autoconf-style xcompile flags
+
+    Args:
+        ctx (ctx): The current rule's context object
+
+    Returns:
+        list(str): The flags to set, or None if xcompiling is disabled
+    """
+
+    if not ctx.attr.configure_xcompile:
+        return None
+
+    host_triplet = triplet_name(
+        os_name(ctx),
+        arch_name(ctx),
+    )
+
+    if host_triplet == "unknown":
+        # buildifier: disable=print
+        print("host is unknown; please update foreign_cc/private/framework/platform.bzl; triggered by", ctx.label)
+        return None
+
+    target_triplet = triplet_name(
+        target_os_name(ctx),
+        target_arch_name(ctx),
+    )
+
+    if target_triplet == "unknown":
+        # buildifier: disable=print
+        print("target is unknown; please update foreign_cc/private/framework/platform.bzl; triggered by", ctx.label)
+        return None
+
+    if target_triplet == host_triplet:
+        return None
+
+    # We pass both --host and --build here, even though we technically only
+    # need to pass --host. This is because autotools compares them (without
+    # normalization) to determine if a build is a cross-compile
+    #
+    # If we don't pass --build, autotools will populate it itself, and it might
+    # be normalized such that autotools thinks it's a cross-compile, but it
+    # shouldn't be.
+    #
+    # An example of this is if we pass --host=x86_64-pc-linux-gnu but the
+    # target compiler thinks it's for x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu; if we don't
+    # pass --build, that will incorrectly be considered a cross-compile.
+    #
+    # Also, no, this isn't backwards. --host means target
+    # https://www.gnu.org/software/automake/manual/html_node/Cross_002dCompilation.html
+    return ["--host=" + target_triplet, "--build=" + host_triplet]
diff --git a/foreign_cc/private/framework.bzl b/foreign_cc/private/framework.bzl
index eb2eedd..b4b8d63 100644
--- a/foreign_cc/private/framework.bzl
+++ b/foreign_cc/private/framework.bzl
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ load(
     "script_extension",
     "shebang",
 )
+load("//foreign_cc/private/framework:platform.bzl", "PLATFORM_CONSTRAINTS_RULE_ATTRIBUTES")
 load(
     ":cc_toolchain_util.bzl",
     "LibrariesToLinkInfo",
@@ -209,8 +210,6 @@ CC_EXTERNAL_RULE_ATTRIBUTES = {
         cfg = "exec",
         default = [],
     ),
-    "_aarch64_constraint": attr.label(default = Label("@platforms//cpu:aarch64")),
-    "_android_constraint": attr.label(default = Label("@platforms//os:android")),
     # we need to declare this attribute to access cc_toolchain
     "_cc_toolchain": attr.label(
         default = Label("@bazel_tools//tools/cpp:current_cc_toolchain"),
@@ -220,10 +219,11 @@ CC_EXTERNAL_RULE_ATTRIBUTES = {
         cfg = "exec",
         default = Label("@rules_foreign_cc//foreign_cc/private/framework:platform_info"),
     ),
-    "_linux_constraint": attr.label(default = Label("@platforms//os:linux")),
-    "_x86_64_constraint": attr.label(default = Label("@platforms//cpu:x86_64")),
 }
 
+# this would be cleaner as x | y, but that's not supported in bazel 5.4.0
+CC_EXTERNAL_RULE_ATTRIBUTES.update(PLATFORM_CONSTRAINTS_RULE_ATTRIBUTES)
+
 # A list of common fragments required by rules using this framework
 CC_EXTERNAL_RULE_FRAGMENTS = [
     "apple",
diff --git a/foreign_cc/private/framework/platform.bzl b/foreign_cc/private/framework/platform.bzl
index 8c9fc9a..45860f0 100644
--- a/foreign_cc/private/framework/platform.bzl
+++ b/foreign_cc/private/framework/platform.bzl
@@ -1,8 +1,40 @@
 """A helper module containing tools for detecting platform information"""
 
+SUPPORTED_CPU = [
+    "aarch64",
+    "s390x",
+    "x86_64",
+]
+
+SUPPORTED_OS = [
+    "android",
+    "freebsd",
+    "ios",
+    "linux",
+    "macos",
+    "none",
+    "openbsd",
+    "qnx",
+    "tvos",
+    "watchos",
+    "windows",
+]
+
+PLATFORM_CONSTRAINTS_RULE_ATTRIBUTES = {
+    "_{}_constraint".format(i): attr.label(default = Label("@platforms//os:{}".format(i)))
+    for i in SUPPORTED_OS
+}
+
+# this would be cleaner as x | y, but that's not supported in bazel 5.4.0
+PLATFORM_CONSTRAINTS_RULE_ATTRIBUTES.update({
+    "_{}_constraint".format(i): attr.label(default = Label("@platforms//cpu:{}".format(i)))
+    for i in SUPPORTED_CPU
+})
+
 ForeignCcPlatformInfo = provider(
     doc = "A provider containing information about the current platform",
     fields = {
+        "cpu": "The platform cpu",
         "os": "The platform os",
     },
 )
@@ -18,12 +50,16 @@ def _framework_platform_info_impl(ctx):
     """
     return [ForeignCcPlatformInfo(
         os = ctx.attr.os,
+        cpu = ctx.attr.cpu,
     )]
 
 _framework_platform_info = rule(
     doc = "A rule defining platform information used by the foreign_cc framework",
     implementation = _framework_platform_info_impl,
     attrs = {
+        "cpu": attr.string(
+            doc = "The platform's cpu",
+        ),
         "os": attr.string(
             doc = "The platform's operating system",
         ),
@@ -31,23 +67,33 @@ _framework_platform_info = rule(
 )
 
 def framework_platform_info(name = "platform_info"):
-    """Define a target containing platform information used in the foreign_cc framework"""
+    """Define a target containing platform information used in the foreign_cc framework
+
+    Args:
+      name: A unique name for this target.
+    """
+
+    # this would be cleaner as x | y, but that's not supported in bazel 5.4.0
+    select_os = {
+        "@platforms//os:{}".format(i): i
+        for i in SUPPORTED_OS
+    }
+    select_os.update({
+        "//conditions:default": "unknown",
+    })
+
+    select_cpu = {
+        "@platforms//cpu:{}".format(i): i
+        for i in SUPPORTED_CPU
+    }
+    select_cpu.update({
+        "//conditions:default": "unknown",
+    })
+
     _framework_platform_info(
         name = name,
-        os = select({
-            "@platforms//os:android": "android",
-            "@platforms//os:freebsd": "freebsd",
-            "@platforms//os:ios": "ios",
-            "@platforms//os:linux": "linux",
-            "@platforms//os:macos": "macos",
-            "@platforms//os:none": "none",
-            "@platforms//os:openbsd": "openbsd",
-            "@platforms//os:qnx": "qnx",
-            "@platforms//os:tvos": "tvos",
-            "@platforms//os:watchos": "watchos",
-            "@platforms//os:windows": "windows",
-            "//conditions:default": "unknown",
-        }),
+        os = select(select_os),
+        cpu = select(select_cpu),
         visibility = ["//visibility:public"],
     )
 
@@ -66,6 +112,21 @@ def os_name(ctx):
 
     return platform_info[ForeignCcPlatformInfo].os
 
+def arch_name(ctx):
+    """A helper function for getting the arch name from a `ForeignCcPlatformInfo` provider
+
+    Args:
+        ctx (ctx): The current rule's context object
+
+    Returns:
+        str: The string of the current platform
+    """
+    platform_info = getattr(ctx.attr, "_foreign_cc_framework_platform")
+    if not platform_info:
+        return "unknown"
+
+    return platform_info[ForeignCcPlatformInfo].cpu
+
 def target_arch_name(ctx):
     """A helper function for getting the target architecture name based on the constraints
 
@@ -75,8 +136,7 @@ def target_arch_name(ctx):
     Returns:
         str: The string of the current platform
     """
-    archs = ["x86_64", "aarch64"]
-    for arch in archs:
+    for arch in SUPPORTED_CPU:
         constraint = getattr(ctx.attr, "_{}_constraint".format(arch))
         if constraint and ctx.target_platform_has_constraint(constraint[platform_common.ConstraintValueInfo]):
             return arch
@@ -92,10 +152,50 @@ def target_os_name(ctx):
     Returns:
         str: The string of the current platform
     """
-    operating_systems = ["android", "linux"]
-    for os in operating_systems:
+    for os in SUPPORTED_OS:
         constraint = getattr(ctx.attr, "_{}_constraint".format(os))
         if constraint and ctx.target_platform_has_constraint(constraint[platform_common.ConstraintValueInfo]):
             return os
 
     return "unknown"
+
+def triplet_name(os, arch):
+    """A helper function for getting the platform triplet from the results of the above arch/os functions
+
+    Args:
+        os (str): the os
+        arch (str): the arch
+
+    Returns:
+        str: The string of the current platform
+    """
+
+    # This is like a simplified config.guess / config.sub from autotools
+    if os == "linux":
+        # The linux values here were what config.guess returns on ubuntu:22.04;
+        # specifically, this version:
+        # https://git.savannah.gnu.org/gitweb/?p=config.git;a=blob;f=config.guess;hb=00b15927496058d23e6258a28d8996f87cf1f191
+        #
+        # bazel doesn't have common libc constraints, which makes it difficult
+        # to guess what the correct value for the last field might be (it would
+        # be musl on alpine, for example). This doesn't change what the
+        # compiler itself will do, though, so as long as we normalize
+        # consistently, I don't think this will break alpine.
+        if arch == "aarch64":
+            return "aarch64-unknown-linux-gnu"
+        elif arch == "s390x":
+            return "s390x-ibm-linux-gnu"
+        elif arch == "x86_64":
+            return "x86_64-pc-linux-gnu"
+
+    elif os == "macos":
+        # These are _not_ what config.guess would return for darwin;
+        # config.guess puts the release version in the field, e.g.
+        # darwin23.4.0. We can't correctly guess the darwin version, so we use
+        # macos instead, which is also recognized/honored by autotools
+        if arch == "aarch64":
+            return "aarch64-apple-macos"
+        elif arch == "x86_64":
+            return "x86_64-apple-macos"
+
+    return "unknown"
diff --git a/test/cmake_text_tests.bzl b/test/cmake_text_tests.bzl
index 105faf5..4130507 100644
--- a/test/cmake_text_tests.bzl
+++ b/test/cmake_text_tests.bzl
@@ -242,6 +242,7 @@ def _merge_flag_values_no_toolchain_file_test(ctx):
 
     script = create_cmake_script(
         "ws",
+        ctx.label,
         "unknown",
         "unknown",
         "unknown",
@@ -294,6 +295,7 @@ def _create_min_cmake_script_no_toolchain_file_test(ctx):
 
     script = create_cmake_script(
         "ws",
+        ctx.label,
         "unknown",
         "unknown",
         "unknown",
@@ -350,6 +352,7 @@ def _create_min_cmake_script_wipe_toolchain_test(ctx):
 
     script = create_cmake_script(
         "ws",
+        ctx.label,
         "unknown",
         "unknown",
         "unknown",
@@ -402,6 +405,7 @@ def _create_min_cmake_script_toolchain_file_test(ctx):
 
     script = create_cmake_script(
         "ws",
+        ctx.label,
         "unknown",
         "unknown",
         "unknown",
@@ -482,6 +486,7 @@ def _create_cmake_script_no_toolchain_file_test(ctx):
 
     script = create_cmake_script(
         "ws",
+        ctx.label,
         "unknown",
         "unknown",
         "unknown",
@@ -549,6 +554,7 @@ def _create_cmake_script_android_test(ctx):
 
     script = create_cmake_script(
         "ws",
+        ctx.label,
         "android",
         "x86_64",
         "unknown",
@@ -616,6 +622,7 @@ def _create_cmake_script_linux_test(ctx):
 
     script = create_cmake_script(
         "ws",
+        ctx.label,
         "linux",
         "aarch64",
         "unknown",
@@ -682,6 +689,7 @@ def _create_cmake_script_toolchain_file_test(ctx):
 
     script = create_cmake_script(
         "ws",
+        ctx.label,
         "unknown",
         "unknown",
         "unknown",