diff --git a/etc/kaleidoscope-builder.conf b/etc/kaleidoscope-builder.conf
index 01a2e77e..d3c310aa 100644
--- a/etc/kaleidoscope-builder.conf
+++ b/etc/kaleidoscope-builder.conf
@@ -35,6 +35,23 @@ if [ -z "${FQBN}" ]; then
    FQBN="${FQBN:-keyboardio:avr:${BOARD}}"
 fi
 
+if [ ! -z "${KALEIDOSCOPE_COMPILER}" ]; then
+    case "${KALEIDOSCOPE_COMPILER}" in
+        gnu|gcc|g++)
+            C_COMPILER_BASENAME=gcc
+            CXX_COMPILER_BASENAME=g++
+            ;;
+        clang)
+            C_COMPILER_BASENAME=clang
+            CXX_COMPILER_BASENAME=clang++
+            ;;
+        *)
+            echo "Unsupported compiler: ${KALEIDOSCOPE_COMPILER}" >&2
+            exit 1
+            ;;
+    esac
+fi
+
 ########
 ######## Host OS specific commands
 ########