diff --git a/racket/src/cs/bootstrap/make-boot.rkt b/racket/src/cs/bootstrap/make-boot.rkt
index 907193a02c..b83eba5e4f 100644
--- a/racket/src/cs/bootstrap/make-boot.rkt
+++ b/racket/src/cs/bootstrap/make-boot.rkt
@@ -14,7 +14,9 @@
          "config.rkt")
 
 ;; Set `SCHEME_SRC` and `MACH` to specify the ChezScheme source
-;; directory and the target machine.
+;; directory and the target machine. Set the `MAKE_BOOT_FOR_CROSS`
+;; environment variable to generate just enough to run `configure`
+;; for a corss build.
 
 (unless scheme-dir
   (error "set `SCHEME_SRC` environment variable"))
@@ -297,6 +299,16 @@
   (eval `(mkequates.h ,(path->string (build-path out-subdir "equates.h"))))
   (plumber-flush-all (current-plumber))
 
+  (when (getenv "MAKE_BOOT_FOR_CROSS")
+    ;; Working bootfiles are not needed for a cross build (only the
+    ;; ".h" files are needed), so just make dummy files in that case
+    ;; to let `configure` work
+    (define (touch p)
+      (unless (file-exists? p) (call-with-output-file* p void)))
+    (touch (build-path out-subdir "petite.boot"))
+    (touch (build-path out-subdir "scheme.boot"))
+    (exit))
+
   (for ([s (in-list '("ftype.ss"
                       "fasl.ss"
                       "reloc.ss"
diff --git a/racket/src/cs/c/Makefile.in b/racket/src/cs/c/Makefile.in
index 196b9a84b3..8d5d1725c6 100644
--- a/racket/src/cs/c/Makefile.in
+++ b/racket/src/cs/c/Makefile.in
@@ -148,12 +148,15 @@ SCHEME_CONFIG_VARS = CC="$(CC)" CFLAGS="$(BASE_CFLAGS)" LD="$(LD)" LDFLAGS="$(LD
 scheme-make-finish:
 	env SCHEME_SRC="$(SCHEME_SRC)" MACH="$(MACH)" $(BOOTSTRAP_RACKET) $(srcdir)/../bootstrap/make-boot.rkt
 	cd $(SCHEME_SRC) && ./configure @SCHEME_CONFIG_ARGS@ $(SCHEME_CONFIG_VARS)
+	$(MAKE) sync-bootfiles
+	cd $(SCHEME_SRC) && $(MAKE)
+
+sync-bootfiles:
 	mkdir -p $(SCHEME_SRC)/$(MACH)/boot/$(MACH)
 	$(MAKE) $(SCHEME_SRC)/$(MACH)/boot/$(MACH)/equates.h
 	$(MAKE) $(SCHEME_SRC)/$(MACH)/boot/$(MACH)/scheme.h
 	$(MAKE) $(SCHEME_SRC)/$(MACH)/boot/$(MACH)/petite.boot
 	$(MAKE) $(SCHEME_SRC)/$(MACH)/boot/$(MACH)/scheme.boot
-	cd $(SCHEME_SRC) && $(MAKE)
 
 # If "equates.h", etc., are newly built since previous build, move them into place
 $(SCHEME_SRC)/$(MACH)/boot/$(MACH)/equates.h: $(SCHEME_SRC)/boot/$(MACH)/equates.h
@@ -167,6 +170,8 @@ $(SCHEME_SRC)/$(MACH)/boot/$(MACH)/scheme.boot: $(SCHEME_SRC)/boot/$(MACH)/schem
 
 scheme-cross:
 	cd $(SCHEME_SRC) && git submodule -q init && git submodule -q update
+	env MAKE_BOOT_FOR_CROSS=yes SCHEME_SRC="$(SCHEME_SRC)" MACH="$(TARGET_MACH)" $(BOOTSTRAP_RACKET) $(srcdir)/../bootstrap/make-boot.rkt
+	$(MAKE) sync-bootfiles MACH="$(TARGET_MACH)"
 	cd $(SCHEME_SRC) && ./configure @SCHEME_CROSS_CONFIG_ARGS@ $(SCHEME_CONFIG_VARS)
 	cd $(SCHEME_SRC)/$(TARGET_MACH)/c && $(MAKE) o=o cross=t
 	$(MAKE) $(SCHEME_SRC)/$(TARGET_MACH)/s/xpatch