diff --git a/source/dub/commandline.d b/source/dub/commandline.d
index 129943b..a3a6444 100644
--- a/source/dub/commandline.d
+++ b/source/dub/commandline.d
@@ -402,11 +402,6 @@
 		bool m_forceRemove = false;
 	}
 
-	this()
-	{
-		m_compilerName = defaultCompiler();
-	}
-
 	override void prepare(scope CommandArgs args)
 	{
 		args.getopt("b|build", &m_buildType, [
@@ -420,8 +415,7 @@
 		args.getopt("compiler", &m_compilerName, [
 			"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: "~m_compilerName,
+			"  "~["dmd", "gdc", "ldc", "gdmd", "ldmd"].join(", ")
 		]);
 		args.getopt("a|arch", &m_arch, [
 			"Force a different architecture (e.g. x86 or x86_64)"
@@ -443,6 +437,7 @@
 
 	protected void setupPackage(Dub dub, string package_name)
 	{
+		if (!m_compilerName.length) m_compilerName = dub.defaultCompiler;
 		m_compiler = getCompiler(m_compilerName);
 		m_buildPlatform = m_compiler.determinePlatform(m_buildSettings, m_compilerName, m_arch);
 		m_buildSettings.addDebugVersions(m_debugVersions);
diff --git a/source/dub/dub.d b/source/dub/dub.d
index 222a7a5..6992d4d 100644
--- a/source/dub/dub.d
+++ b/source/dub/dub.d
@@ -165,6 +165,20 @@
 
 	@property inout(Project) project() inout { return m_project; }
 
+	/// Returns the default compiler binary to use for building D code.
+	@property string defaultCompiler()
+	const {
+		if (auto pv = "defaultCompiler" in m_userConfig)
+			if (pv.type == Json.Type.string)
+				return pv.get!string;
+
+		if (auto pv = "defaultCompiler" in m_systemConfig)
+			if (pv.type == Json.Type.string)
+				return pv.get!string;
+
+		return .defaultCompiler();
+	}
+
 	/// Loads the package from the current working directory as the main
 	/// project package.
 	void loadPackageFromCwd()
@@ -693,7 +707,7 @@
 			ddox_dub.loadPackage(ddox_pack.path);
 			ddox_dub.upgrade(UpgradeOptions.select);
 
-			auto compiler_binary = "dmd";
+			auto compiler_binary = this.defaultCompiler;
 
 			GeneratorSettings settings;
 			settings.config = "application";