diff --git a/bin/kaleidoscope-builder b/bin/kaleidoscope-builder
index 7d5ed1a6..f8a8e39c 100755
--- a/bin/kaleidoscope-builder
+++ b/bin/kaleidoscope-builder
@@ -683,7 +683,18 @@ fi
 # shellcheck disable=SC2034
 : "${KALEIDOSCOPE_BIN_DIR:=${KALEIDOSCOPE_DIR}/bin/}"
 
-: "${ARDUINO_CLI:=${KALEIDOSCOPE_BIN_DIR}/arduino-cli}"
+
+SYSTEM_ARDUINO_CLI="$(which arduino-cli || true )"
+
+if [ "x${SYSTEM_ARDUINO_CLI}" == "x" ]; then
+	$VERBOSE && echo "Using our own arduino-cli"
+	: "${ARDUINO_CLI:=${KALEIDOSCOPE_BIN_DIR}/arduino-cli}"
+else
+	$VERBOSE && echo "Using system arduino-cli from ${SYSTEM_ARDUINO_CLI}" 
+	: "${ARDUINO_CLI:=${SYSTEM_ARDUINO_CLI}}"
+fi
+
+
 
 : "${ARDUINO_CONTENT:=${KALEIDOSCOPE_DIR}/.arduino}"
 : "${ARDUINO_DIRECTORIES_DATA:=${ARDUINO_CONTENT}/data}"