diff --git a/build-data/platforms.mk b/build-data/platforms.mk
index 6f21b6d..e192155 100644
--- a/build-data/platforms.mk
+++ b/build-data/platforms.mk
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@
 	   >> deb/debian/vpp.install ;					\
 									\
 	: dev package needs a couple of additions ;			\
-	echo ../build-tool-native/tools/vppapigen /usr/bin		\
+	echo ../$(INSTALL_PREFIX)$(ARCH)/vpp/bin/vppapigen /usr/bin	\
 	   >> deb/debian/vpp-dev.install ;				\
 	echo ../../src/vpp-api/java/jvpp/gen/jvpp_gen.py /usr/bin	\
 	   >> deb/debian/vpp-dev.install ;				\
diff --git a/build-root/rpm/vpp.spec b/build-root/rpm/vpp.spec
index 149ac51..c3c0d92 100644
--- a/build-root/rpm/vpp.spec
+++ b/build-root/rpm/vpp.spec
@@ -113,7 +113,6 @@
 mkdir -p -m755 %{buildroot}%{_bindir}
 mkdir -p -m755 %{buildroot}%{_unitdir}
 install -p -m 755 %{_mu_build_dir}/%{_vpp_install_dir}/*/bin/* %{buildroot}%{_bindir}
-install -p -m 755 %{_mu_build_dir}/%{_vpp_build_dir}/tools/vppapigen %{buildroot}%{_bindir}
 
 # api
 mkdir -p -m755 %{buildroot}/usr/share/vpp/api
diff --git a/src/Makefile.am b/src/Makefile.am
index 0fc437a..bba90ea 100644
--- a/src/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/Makefile.am
@@ -102,7 +102,6 @@
 	$(patsubst %.api,%.api.json,$(API_FILES))
 
 BUILT_SOURCES += \
-	$(patsubst %.api,%.api.json,$(API_FILES)) \
 	$(patsubst %.api,%.api.h,$(API_FILES))
 
 endif # if ENABLE_VLIB
diff --git a/src/configure.ac b/src/configure.ac
index 4ed5570..eb380d8 100644
--- a/src/configure.ac
+++ b/src/configure.ac
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@
 AM_PROG_LIBTOOL
 AC_PROG_YACC
 
+AM_CONDITIONAL([CROSSCOMPILE], [test "$cross_compiling" == "yes"])
+
 ###############################################################################
 # Macros
 ###############################################################################
@@ -172,6 +174,20 @@
   PKG_CHECK_MODULES(g2, gtk+-2.0)
 ])
 
+# If cross-compiling, we need external vppapigen and we cannot continue without it
+# For native builds, we just set dependency on vpppaigen binary in top_builddir
+AM_COND_IF([CROSSCOMPILE],
+[
+  AC_PATH_PROG([VPPAPIGEN], [vppapigen], [no])
+  if test "$VPPAPIGEN" = "no"; then
+    AC_MSG_ERROR([Externaly built vppapigen is needed when cross-compiling...])
+  fi
+],[
+  VPPAPIGEN=\$\(top_builddir\)/vppapigen
+])
+AC_SUBST([VPPAPIGEN])
+
+
 ###############################################################################
 # JAVA
 ###############################################################################
diff --git a/src/plugins/Makefile.am b/src/plugins/Makefile.am
index 987310b..3e9ab91 100644
--- a/src/plugins/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/plugins/Makefile.am
@@ -73,6 +73,5 @@
 	$(patsubst %.api,%.api.json,$(API_FILES))
 
 BUILT_SOURCES += \
-	$(patsubst %.api,%.api.json,$(API_FILES)) \
 	$(patsubst %.api,%.api.h,$(API_FILES))
 
diff --git a/src/suffix-rules.mk b/src/suffix-rules.mk
index f97b227..9115c55 100644
--- a/src/suffix-rules.mk
+++ b/src/suffix-rules.mk
@@ -14,14 +14,14 @@
 # Shared suffix rules
 # Please do not set "SUFFIXES = .api.h .api" here
 
-%.api.h: %.api
+%.api.h: %.api @VPPAPIGEN@
 	@echo "  APIGEN  " $@ ;					\
 	mkdir -p `dirname $@` ;					\
-	$(CC) $(CPPFLAGS) -E -P -C -x c $^			\
-	| vppapigen --input - --output $@ --show-name $@ > /dev/null
+	$(CC) $(CPPFLAGS) -E -P -C -x c $<			\
+	| @VPPAPIGEN@ --input - --output $@ --show-name $@ > /dev/null
 
-%.api.json: %.api
+%.api.json: %.api @VPPAPIGEN@
 	@echo "  JSON API" $@ ;					\
 	mkdir -p `dirname $@` ;					\
-	$(CC) $(CPPFLAGS) -E -P -C -x c $^			\
-	| vppapigen --input - --json $@ > /dev/null
+	$(CC) $(CPPFLAGS) -E -P -C -x c $<			\
+	| @VPPAPIGEN@ --input - --json $@ > /dev/null
diff --git a/src/vppapigen.am b/src/vppapigen.am
index edde339..3207c83 100644
--- a/src/vppapigen.am
+++ b/src/vppapigen.am
@@ -13,14 +13,17 @@
 
 bin_PROGRAMS += vppapigen
 
-BUILT_SOURCES += tools/vppapigen/gram.h
+# We cannot rely on BUILT_SOURCES here as other built sources are relying
+# on vppapigen, so make can start compiling lex.c before gram.h is created.
+# This way we introduce new dependency by running C preprocessor.
 
-tools/vppapigen/gram.h: tools/vppapigen/gram.y
+tools/vppapigen/lex_e.c: tools/vppapigen/lex.c tools/vppapigen/gram.y
 	@$(YACC) -d @srcdir@/tools/vppapigen/gram.y
 	@mv y.tab.h tools/vppapigen/gram.h
 	@rm y.tab.c
+	@$(CC) -I. -E -o $@ $<
 
-vppapigen_SOURCES = tools/vppapigen/gram.y tools/vppapigen/lex.c tools/vppapigen/node.c
+vppapigen_SOURCES = tools/vppapigen/gram.y tools/vppapigen/lex_e.c tools/vppapigen/node.c
 vppapigen_LDADD = libvppinfra.la
 vppapigen_LDFLAGS = -static