diff --git a/test/sim/coremark/Makefile b/test/sim/coremark/Makefile
index 840fa8c..6a1ef84 100644
--- a/test/sim/coremark/Makefile
+++ b/test/sim/coremark/Makefile
@@ -2,7 +2,8 @@ APP          := coremark
 MAX_CYCLES   := 100000000
 
 CROSS_PREFIX ?= riscv32-unknown-elf-
-TBDIR        ?= ../tb_cxxrtl
+TBEXEC       ?= ../tb_cxxrtl/tb
+TBDIR        := $(dir $(abspath $(TBEXEC)))
 
 
 ###############################################################################
@@ -13,10 +14,10 @@ TBDIR        ?= ../tb_cxxrtl
 all: run
 
 run: $(APP).bin
-	$(TBDIR)/tb --bin $(APP).bin --cycles $(MAX_CYCLES)
+	$(TBEXEC) --bin $(APP).bin --cycles $(MAX_CYCLES)
 
 waves: $(APP).bin
-	$(TBDIR)/tb $(APP).bin $(APPNAME)_run.vcd --cycles $(MAX_CYCLES)
+	$(TBEXEC) $(APP).bin $(APPNAME)_run.vcd --cycles $(MAX_CYCLES)
 
 view: run
 	gtkwave $(APP)_run.vcd
diff --git a/test/sim/coremark/dist/barebones/core_portme.mak b/test/sim/coremark/dist/barebones/core_portme.mak
index 06d0eaf..1e193ee 100755
--- a/test/sim/coremark/dist/barebones/core_portme.mak
+++ b/test/sim/coremark/dist/barebones/core_portme.mak
@@ -19,14 +19,15 @@
 #	Use this flag to define how to to get an executable (e.g -o)
 OUTFLAG= -o
 
-MARCH        = rv32imac_zicsr_zba_zbb_zbs
+MARCH        = rv32ima_zicsr_zba_zbb_zbs_zbkb
 CROSS_PREFIX = riscv32-unknown-elf-
 
 CC           =  $(CROSS_PREFIX)gcc
 LD           =  $(CROSS_PREFIX)gcc
 AS           =  $(CROSS_PREFIX)gcc
 
-PORT_CFLAGS = -O3 -g -march=$(MARCH)
+# If compressed instructions are enabled, you also want: -falign-functions=4 -falign-jumps=4 -falign-loops=4
+PORT_CFLAGS = -O3 -g -march=$(MARCH) -mbranch-cost=1 -funroll-all-loops --param max-inline-insns-auto=200 -finline-limit=10000 -fno-code-hoisting -fno-if-conversion2
 FLAGS_STR = "$(PORT_CFLAGS) $(XCFLAGS) $(XLFLAGS) $(LFLAGS_END)"
 CFLAGS = $(PORT_CFLAGS) -I$(PORT_DIR) -I. -DFLAGS_STR=\"$(FLAGS_STR)\"