diff --git a/etc/bashrc b/etc/bashrc
index db2a10e54..4baf7024e 100644
--- a/etc/bashrc
+++ b/etc/bashrc
@@ -268,26 +268,68 @@ Darwin)
 
     export MACOSX_DEPLOYMENT_TARGET=`sw_vers -productVersion | sed -e "s/\([0-9][0-9]*\)\.\([0-9][0-9]*\)\.\([0-9][0-9]*\)/\1.\2/g"`
 
-    if [ "$compilerInstall" == "System" ]
+    which -s port >/dev/null
+    if [ $? -eq "0" -a -d '/opt/local/etc/macports' ]
     then
-        # Use Mac-Ports-Compiler instead of Apple-gcc-4.2
-	case $WM_COMPILER in
-        Gcc43)
-            export WM_CC='gcc-mp-4.3'
-            export WM_CXX='g++-mp-4.3'
-            ;;
-        Gcc44)
-            export WM_CC='gcc-mp-4.4'
-            export WM_CXX='g++-mp-4.4'
-            ;;
-        Gcc45)
-            export WM_CC='gcc-mp-4.5'
-            export WM_CXX='g++-mp-4.5'
-            ;;
-        *)
-            export WM_COMPILER=
-            ;;
-        esac
+       if [ "$FOAM_VERBOSE" -a "$PS1" ]
+       then
+           echo "Using Macports binaries"
+       fi
+
+       export WM_USE_MACPORT=1
+
+       if [ "$compilerInstall" == "System" ]
+       then
+           # Use Mac-Ports-Compiler instead of Apple-gcc-4.2
+	   case $WM_COMPILER in
+               Gcc42)
+		   export WM_MACPORT_VERSION=4.2
+		   ;;
+               Gcc43)
+		   export WM_MACPORT_VERSION=4.3
+		   ;;
+               Gcc44)
+		   export WM_MACPORT_VERSION=4.4
+		   ;;
+               Gcc45)
+		   export WM_MACPORT_VERSION=4.5
+		   ;;
+               Gcc46)
+		   export WM_MACPORT_VERSION=4.6
+		   ;;
+               Gcc47)
+		   export WM_MACPORT_VERSION=4.7
+		   ;;
+               Gcc48)
+		   export WM_MACPORT_VERSION=4.8
+		   ;;
+               Gcc)
+		   ;;
+               *)
+		   echo "Unsupported MacPorts-Compiler $WM_COMPILER"
+		   ;;
+           esac
+	   if [ "$WM_COMPILER" != "Gcc" ]
+	   then
+               export WM_CC="gcc-mp-$WM_MACPORT_VERSION"
+               export WM_CXX="g++-mp-$WM_MACPORT_VERSION"
+
+	       ruleDirBase=$WM_DIR/rules/$WM_ARCH
+	       ruleDir=$ruleDirBase$WM_COMPILER
+	       if [ ! -e $ruleDir ]
+	       then
+		   echo "Rule directory $ruleDir not existing. Linking to $ruleDirBase"
+		   ln -s $ruleDirBase $ruleDir
+	       fi
+	       unset ruleDir ruleDirBase
+	   fi
+       fi
+    fi
+    if [ -z "$WM_CC" ]
+    then
+	# nobody set the compiler
+	export WM_CC="gcc"
+	export WM_CXX="g++"
     fi
     ;;
 
diff --git a/etc/settings.sh b/etc/settings.sh
index e6a1bb0a3..01fe4ed2a 100644
--- a/etc/settings.sh
+++ b/etc/settings.sh
@@ -187,17 +187,19 @@ fi
 unset compilerBin compilerLib compilerInstall
 
 
-case "$WM_COMPILER" in
-Gcc*)
-    export WM_CC='gcc'
-    export WM_CXX='g++'
-    ;;
-Icc)
-    export WM_CC='icc'
-    export WM_CXX='icpc'
-    ;;
-esac
-
+if [ -z "$WM_CC" ]
+then
+    case "$WM_COMPILER" in
+	Gcc*)
+	    export WM_CC='gcc'
+	    export WM_CXX='g++'
+	    ;;
+	Icc)
+	    export WM_CC='icc'
+	    export WM_CXX='icpc'
+	    ;;
+    esac
+fi
 
 # Communications library
 # ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
diff --git a/wmake/rules/darwinIntel64/c b/wmake/rules/darwinIntel64/c
index a686d4eeb..7d81ffc19 100644
--- a/wmake/rules/darwinIntel64/c
+++ b/wmake/rules/darwinIntel64/c
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 cWARN        = -Wall
 
-cc          = gcc $(WM_CXXFLAGS)
+cc          = $(WM_CC) $(WM_CXXFLAGS)
 
 include $(RULES)/c$(WM_COMPILE_OPTION)
 
diff --git a/wmake/rules/darwinIntel64/c++ b/wmake/rules/darwinIntel64/c++
index 27fcb0c34..27b66c29e 100644
--- a/wmake/rules/darwinIntel64/c++
+++ b/wmake/rules/darwinIntel64/c++
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 c++WARN     = -Wall -Wextra -Wno-unused-parameter -Wold-style-cast
 
-CC          = g++ $(WM_CXXFLAGS)
+CC          = $(WM_CXX) $(WM_CXXFLAGS)
 
 include $(RULES)/c++$(WM_COMPILE_OPTION)