diff --git a/.github/workflows/arm_compilation.yml b/.github/workflows/arm_compilation.yml
index 781bd8070..86d222182 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/arm_compilation.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/arm_compilation.yml
@@ -80,9 +80,9 @@ jobs:
             export LDFLAGS="-static -Wno-unused-command-line-argument"
           fi
           make clean
-          make -j4 profile-build ARCH=$BINARY COMP=$COMP WINE_PATH=$EMU
+          make -j4 profile-build ARCH=$BINARY COMP=$COMP RUN_PREFIX=$EMU
           make strip ARCH=$BINARY COMP=$COMP
-          WINE_PATH=$EMU ../tests/signature.sh $benchref
+          RUN_PREFIX=$EMU ../tests/signature.sh $benchref
           mv ./stockfish$EXT ../stockfish-android-$BINARY$EXT
 
       - name: Remove non src files
diff --git a/.github/workflows/compilation.yml b/.github/workflows/compilation.yml
index 7805b24d6..473665ec2 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/compilation.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/compilation.yml
@@ -76,9 +76,9 @@ jobs:
       - name: Compile ${{ matrix.config.binaries }} build
         run: |
           make clean
-          make -j4 profile-build ARCH=$BINARY COMP=$COMP WINE_PATH="$SDE"
+          make -j4 profile-build ARCH=$BINARY COMP=$COMP RUN_PREFIX="$SDE"
           make strip ARCH=$BINARY COMP=$COMP
-          WINE_PATH="$SDE" ../tests/signature.sh $benchref
+          RUN_PREFIX="$SDE" ../tests/signature.sh $benchref
           mv ./stockfish$EXT ../stockfish-$NAME-$BINARY$EXT
 
       - name: Remove non src files
diff --git a/src/Makefile b/src/Makefile
index bf3fbe80f..fa6297936 100644
--- a/src/Makefile
+++ b/src/Makefile
@@ -25,6 +25,21 @@ ifeq ($(KERNEL),Linux)
 	OS := $(shell uname -o)
 endif
 
+### Command prefix to run the built executable (e.g. wine, sde, qemu)
+### Backward compatible alias: WINE_PATH (deprecated)
+ifneq ($(strip $(WINE_PATH)),)
+ifeq ($(strip $(RUN_PREFIX)),)
+RUN_PREFIX := $(WINE_PATH)
+endif
+ifeq ($(MAKELEVEL),0)
+ifneq ($(strip $(RUN_PREFIX)),$(strip $(WINE_PATH)))
+$(warning *** Both RUN_PREFIX and WINE_PATH are set; ignoring WINE_PATH. ***)
+else
+$(warning *** WINE_PATH is deprecated; use RUN_PREFIX instead. ***)
+endif
+endif
+endif
+
 ### Target Windows OS
 ifeq ($(OS),Windows_NT)
 	ifneq ($(COMP),ndk)
@@ -32,8 +47,8 @@ ifeq ($(OS),Windows_NT)
 	endif
 else ifeq ($(COMP),mingw)
 	target_windows = yes
-	ifeq ($(WINE_PATH),)
-		WINE_PATH := $(shell which wine)
+	ifeq ($(RUN_PREFIX),)
+		RUN_PREFIX := $(shell which wine)
 	endif
 endif
 
@@ -49,7 +64,7 @@ PREFIX = /usr/local
 BINDIR = $(PREFIX)/bin
 
 ### Built-in benchmark for pgo-builds
-PGOBENCH = $(WINE_PATH) ./$(EXE) bench
+PGOBENCH = $(RUN_PREFIX) ./$(EXE) bench
 
 ### Source and object files
 SRCS = benchmark.cpp bitboard.cpp evaluate.cpp main.cpp \
diff --git a/tests/signature.sh b/tests/signature.sh
index 0f6dd7585..ef781a0f4 100755
--- a/tests/signature.sh
+++ b/tests/signature.sh
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ error()
 trap 'error ${LINENO}' ERR
 
 # obtain
-eval "$WINE_PATH ./stockfish bench" > "$STDOUT_FILE" 2> "$STDERR_FILE" || error ${LINENO}
+eval "$RUN_PREFIX ./stockfish bench" > "$STDOUT_FILE" 2> "$STDERR_FILE" || error ${LINENO}
 signature=$(grep "Nodes searched  : " "$STDERR_FILE" | awk '{print $4}')
 
 rm -f "$STDOUT_FILE" "$STDERR_FILE"