diff --git a/containers/debian/base.Dockerfile b/containers/debian/base.Dockerfile
index dcc723ee4b872eae4c10cb2068d1ee6a20dac910..c2b9792cd8baa3989a15807bb08ba9786c9cfd43 100644
--- a/containers/debian/base.Dockerfile
+++ b/containers/debian/base.Dockerfile
@@ -104,6 +104,9 @@ update-alternatives --install /usr/bin/g++ g++ /usr/bin/g++${GCC} 100
 update-alternatives --install /usr/bin/gfortran gfortran /usr/bin/gfortran${GCC} 100
 update-alternatives --install /usr/bin/clang clang /usr/bin/clang${CLANG} 100
 update-alternatives --install /usr/bin/clang++ clang++ /usr/bin/clang++${CLANG} 100
+# Default to gcc
+update-alternatives --install /usr/bin/cc  cc  /usr/bin/gcc 100
+update-alternatives --install /usr/bin/c++ c++ /usr/bin/g++ 100
 # Check versions
 gcc --version
 clang --version