diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 693bd89d87..fd01431fa0 100755
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -207,6 +207,7 @@ def get_ethtool_macro():
 
         try:
             compiler = UnixCCompiler()
+            compiler.set_executable('compiler_so', os.getenv('CC', compiler.executables['compiler_so']))
             with silenced_output('stderr'):
                 with silenced_output('stdout'):
                     compiler.compile([f.name])