--- a/sys-libs/glibc/files/eblits/src_compile.eblit	
+++ a/sys-libs/glibc/files/eblits/src_compile.eblit	
@@ -172,14 +172,7 @@ toolchain-glibc_headers_compile() {
 		--prefix=/usr
 		${EXTRA_ECONF}"
 
-	# Nothing is compiled here which would affect the headers for the target.
-	# so forcing CC/CFLAGS is sane.  unless you dont have `gcc`.  then i
-	# dont care :p.
 	echo "${S}"/configure ${myconf}
-	CC=gcc \
-	CFLAGS="-O1 -pipe" \
-	CPPFLAGS="-U_FORTIFY_SOURCE" \
-	LDFLAGS="" \
 	"${S}"/configure ${myconf} || die "failed to configure glibc"
 }
 
--- a/sys-libs/glibc/glibc-2.16.0.ebuild	
+++ a/sys-libs/glibc/glibc-2.16.0.ebuild	
@@ -37,7 +37,11 @@ PATCH_VER="7"                                  # Gentoo patchset
 PORTS_VER=${RELEASE_VER}                       # version of glibc ports addon
 NPTL_KERN_VER=${NPTL_KERN_VER:-"2.6.16"}       # min kernel version nptl requires
 
-IUSE="debug gd hardened multilib selinux systemtap profile vanilla crosscompile_opts_headers-only"
+IUSE="debug gd hardened multilib selinux profile vanilla crosscompile_opts_headers-only"
+if [[ ${CTARGET} != arm* ]] ; then
+  IUSE="${IUSE} systemtap"
+fi
+
 [[ -n ${RELEASE_VER} ]] && S=${WORKDIR}/glibc-${RELEASE_VER}${SNAP_VER:+-${SNAP_VER}}
 
 # Here's how the cross-compile logic breaks down ...
@@ -83,8 +87,7 @@ RDEPEND="!sys-kernel/ps3-sources
 	!sys-libs/nss-db"
 
 if [[ ${CATEGORY} == cross-* ]] ; then
-	DEPEND+=" !crosscompile_opts_headers-only? (
-		>=${CATEGORY}/binutils-2.20
+	DEPEND+=">=${CATEGORY}/binutils-2.20
 		>=${CATEGORY}/gcc-4.3
 	)"
 	[[ ${CATEGORY} == *-linux* ]] && DEPEND+=" ${CATEGORY}/linux-headers"