diff --git a/multibuild.eclass b/multibuild.eclass
index 4dc9b19..914e498 100644
--- a/multibuild.eclass
+++ b/multibuild.eclass
@@ -214,14 +214,14 @@ multibuild_copy_sources() {
 	einfo "Will copy sources from ${_MULTIBUILD_INITIAL_BUILD_DIR}"
 
 	local cp_args=()
-	if cp --reflink=auto --version &>/dev/null; then
+	if $(multibuild_cpcmd) --reflink=auto --version &>/dev/null; then
 		# enable reflinking if possible to make this faster
 		cp_args+=( --reflink=auto )
 	fi
 
 	_multibuild_create_source_copy() {
 		einfo "${MULTIBUILD_VARIANT}: copying to ${BUILD_DIR}"
-		cp -pr "${cp_args[@]}" \
+		$(multibuild_cpcmd) -pr "${cp_args[@]}" \
 			"${_MULTIBUILD_INITIAL_BUILD_DIR}" "${BUILD_DIR}" || die
 	}
 
@@ -274,18 +274,18 @@ multibuild_merge_root() {
 
 	local cp_args=()
 
-	if cp -a --version &>/dev/null; then
+	if $(multibuild_cpcmd) -a --version &>/dev/null; then
 		cp_args+=( -a )
 	else
 		cp_args+=( -P -R -p )
 	fi
 
-	if cp --reflink=auto --version &>/dev/null; then
+	if $(multibuild_cpcmd) --reflink=auto --version &>/dev/null; then
 		# enable reflinking if possible to make this faster
 		cp_args+=( --reflink=auto )
 	fi
 
-	cp "${cp_args[@]}" "${src}"/. "${dest}"/
+	$(multibuild_cpcmd) "${cp_args[@]}" "${src}"/. "${dest}"/
 	ret=${?}
 
 	# Remove the lock.
@@ -298,5 +298,14 @@ multibuild_merge_root() {
 	rm -rf "${src}"
 }
 
+# fix bug 447370
+multibuild_cpcmd() {
+	if type -P gcp &> /dev/null; then
+		echo gcp
+	else
+		echo cp
+	fi
+}
+
 _MULTIBUILD=1
 fi