diff --git a/third_party/gpus/cuda_configure.bzl b/third_party/gpus/cuda_configure.bzl
index 203630802e4..8fa64f264dc 100644
--- a/third_party/gpus/cuda_configure.bzl
+++ b/third_party/gpus/cuda_configure.bzl
@@ -1035,7 +1035,18 @@ def _create_local_cuda_repository(repository_ctx):
 
     cuda_defines["%{host_compiler_prefix}"] = host_compiler_prefix
 
-    cuda_defines["%{linker_bin_path}"] = ""
+    # Bazel sets '-B/usr/bin' flag to workaround build errors on RHEL (see
+    # https://github.com/bazelbuild/bazel/issues/760).
+    # However, this stops our custom clang toolchain from picking the provided
+    # LLD linker, so we're only adding '-B/usr/bin' when using non-downloaded
+    # toolchain.
+    # TODO: when bazel stops adding '-B/usr/bin' by default, remove this
+    #       flag from the CROSSTOOL completely (see
+    #       https://github.com/bazelbuild/bazel/issues/5634)
+    if should_download_clang:
+        cuda_defines["%{linker_bin_path}"] = ""
+    else:
+        cuda_defines["%{linker_bin_path}"] = host_compiler_prefix
 
     cuda_defines["%{extra_no_canonical_prefixes_flags}"] = ""
     cuda_defines["%{unfiltered_compile_flags}"] = ""