diff --git a/build.cmd b/build.cmd
index 60538b6..7f34fbf 100644
--- a/build.cmd
+++ b/build.cmd
@@ -3,7 +3,9 @@
 @echo Generating version file...
 @set GITVER=unknown
 @for /f %%i in ('git describe') do @set GITVER=%%i
-@echo module dub.version_; enum dubVersion = "%GITVER%"; > source\dub\version_.d
+@echo module dub.version_; > source\dub\version_.d
+@echo enum dubVersion = "%GITVER%"; >> source\dub\version_.d
+@echo enum initialCompilerBinary = "%DC%"; >> source\dub\version_.d
 
 @echo Executing %DC%...
 @%DC% -ofbin\dub.exe -g -debug -w -version=DubUseCurl -Isource curl.lib %* @build-files.txt
diff --git a/build.sh b/build.sh
index 6f98537..1c2243f 100755
--- a/build.sh
+++ b/build.sh
@@ -31,7 +31,9 @@
 
 echo Generating version file...
 GITVER=$(git describe) || GITVER=unknown
-echo "module dub.version_; enum dubVersion = \"$GITVER\";" > source/dub/version_.d
+echo "module dub.version_;" > source/dub/version_.d
+echo "enum dubVersion = \"$GITVER\";" >> source/dub/version_.d
+echo "enum initialCompilerBinary = \"$DC\";" >> source/dub/version_.d
 
 
 echo Running $DC...
diff --git a/source/dub/commandline.d b/source/dub/commandline.d
index 84e28d3..4d1b44e 100644
--- a/source/dub/commandline.d
+++ b/source/dub/commandline.d
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
 import dub.platform : determineCompiler;
 import dub.project;
 import dub.internal.utils : getDUBVersion, getClosestMatch;
+import dub.version_;
 
 import std.algorithm;
 import std.array;
@@ -337,7 +338,7 @@
 		string m_buildType;
 		BuildMode m_buildMode;
 		string m_buildConfig;
-		string m_compilerName = .determineCompiler();
+		string m_compilerName = initialCompilerBinary;
 		string m_arch;
 		string[] m_debugVersions;
 		Compiler m_compiler;
@@ -362,8 +363,10 @@
 			"Builds the specified configuration. Configurations can be defined in dub.json"
 		]);
 		args.getopt("compiler", &m_compilerName, [
-			"Specifies the compiler binary to use. Arbitrary pre- and suffixes to the identifiers below are recognized (e.g. ldc2 or dmd-2.063) and matched to the proper compiler type:",
-			"  "~m_compilerName~" (default)"~["dmd", "gdc", "ldc", "gdmd", "ldmd"].filter!(c => c != m_compilerName).map!(c => ", "~c).join()
+			"Specifies the compiler binary to use (can be a path).",
+			"Arbitrary pre- and suffixes to the identifiers below are recognized (e.g. ldc2 or dmd-2.063) and matched to the proper compiler type:",
+			"  "~["dmd", "gdc", "ldc", "gdmd", "ldmd"].join(", "),
+			"Default value: "~initialCompilerBinary,
 		]);
 		args.getopt("a|arch", &m_arch, [
 			"Force a different architecture (e.g. x86 or x86_64)"
diff --git a/source/dub/version_.d b/source/dub/version_.d
index 74d8e3f..8947c5e 100644
--- a/source/dub/version_.d
+++ b/source/dub/version_.d
@@ -1 +1,3 @@
-module dub.version_; enum dubVersion = "v0.9.22"; 
+module dub.version_; 
+enum dubVersion = "v0.9.22"; 
+enum initialCompilerBinary = "dmd";