diff --git a/configure b/configure
index 87d5c14..5e2a1a4 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -120,21 +120,25 @@ def compilerversion(c):
   except:
     pass
 
-firstcompiler = None
+if c := os.getenv("CC"):
+  firstcompiler = c
+  print('using default compiler %s' % c)
+else:
+  firstcompiler = None
 
-with open('compilers/default') as f:
-  for c in f.readlines():
-    c = c.strip()
-    cv = compilerversion(c)
-    if cv == None:
-      log('skipping default compiler %s' % c)
-      continue
-    log('using default compiler %s' % c)
-    firstcompiler = c
-    break
+  with open('compilers/default') as f:
+    for c in f.readlines():
+      c = c.strip()
+      cv = compilerversion(c)
+      if cv == None:
+        print('skipping default compiler %s' % c)
+        continue
+      print('using default compiler %s' % c)
+      firstcompiler = c
+      break
 
-if firstcompiler is None:
-  raise ValueError('did not find a working compiler')
+  if firstcompiler is None:
+    raise ValueError('did not find a working compiler')
 
 with open('build/%s/scripts/compiledefault' % host,'w') as f:
   f.write('#!/bin/sh\n')
diff --git a/scripts-build/staticlib b/scripts-build/staticlib
index bb23658..111ab13 100755
--- a/scripts-build/staticlib
+++ b/scripts-build/staticlib
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 #!/bin/sh
 
 rm -f package/lib/libcpucycles.a
-ar cr package/lib/libcpucycles.a "$@"
-ranlib package/lib/libcpucycles.a || :
+${AR:-ar} cr package/lib/libcpucycles.a "$@"
+${RANLIB:-ranlib} package/lib/libcpucycles.a || :
 chmod 644 package/lib/libcpucycles.a