diff --git a/SConstruct b/SConstruct
index 695afbe..d32cd4d 100644
--- a/SConstruct
+++ b/SConstruct
@@ -59,6 +59,11 @@ def InstallPerm(env, dest, files, perm):
 
 
 env = Environment(tools = ['default', 'textfile'])
+
+#allow shell environment to override compiler
+if os.environ.has_key('CC'):
+    env['CC'] = os.environ['CC']
+
 env.AddMethod(InstallPerm)
 Export('env', 'build_type', 'prefix', 'version_info', 'test_xml')