diff --git a/lib/spack/spack/compiler.py b/lib/spack/spack/compiler.py
index 67765dfb7b..4be573fb12 100644
--- a/lib/spack/spack/compiler.py
+++ b/lib/spack/spack/compiler.py
@@ -106,17 +106,20 @@ class Compiler(object):
     PrgEnv_compiler = None
 
 
-    def __init__(self, cspec, cc, cxx, f77, fc, modules=None):
+    def __init__(self, cspec, paths, modules=None):
         def check(exe):
             if exe is None:
                 return None
             _verify_executables(exe)
             return exe
 
-        self.cc  = check(cc)
-        self.cxx = check(cxx)
-        self.f77 = check(f77)
-        self.fc  = check(fc)
+        self.cc  = check(paths[0])
+        self.cxx = check(paths[1])
+        self.f77 = check(paths[2])
+        if len(paths) == 3:
+            self.fc = self.f77
+        else:
+            self.fc  = check(paths[3])
 
         self.spec = cspec
         self.modules = modules
@@ -264,7 +267,7 @@ def find_in_path(cls, *path):
                 if newcount <= prevcount:
                     continue
 
-            compilers[ver] = cls(spec, *paths)
+            compilers[ver] = cls(spec, paths)
 
         return list(compilers.values())
 
@@ -277,60 +280,26 @@ def find_in_modules(cls):
             if not cls.PrgEnv_compiler:
                 tty.die('Must supply PrgEnv_compiler with PrgEnv')
 
-#            output = _shell('module avail %s' % cls.PrgEnv_compiler)
             modulecmd = which('modulecmd')
-            modulecmd
+            modulecmd.add_default_arg('python')
+            output = modulecmd('avail', return_oe=True)
             matches = re.findall(r'(%s)/([^\s(]*)' % cls.PrgEnv_compiler, output)
 
-            loaded_modules = os.environ["LOADEDMODULES"].split(":")
+#            loaded_modules = os.environ["LOADEDMODULES"].split(":")
             #output = _shell('module avail %s' % cls.PrgEnv_compiler)
-            for module in loaded_modules:
-                match = re.findall(r'(%s)/([^\s(]*)' % cls.PrgEnv_compiler, module)
+#            for module in loaded_modules:
+#                match = re.findall(r'(%s)/([^\s(]*)' % cls.PrgEnv_compiler, module)
 
             for name, version in matches:
                 v = version + '-craype'
                 comp = cls(spack.spec.CompilerSpec(name + '@' + v),
-                           'cc', 'CC', 'ftn', 'ftn', name +'/' + v)
+                           ['cc', 'CC', 'ftn'], [cls.PrgEnv, name +'/' + v])
 
                 compilers.append(comp)
 
         return compilers
 
 
-def _cur_prgenv():
-    out, err = subprocess.Popen(
-        ['module list'], shell=True,
-        stdout=subprocess.PIPE, stderr=subprocess.PIPE).communicate()
-    matches = re.findall(r'(PrgEnv-[^/]*)/', err)
-    return matches[0]
-
-
-def _module_shell(module, *args):
-    cmd =  'module swap %s %s;' % (_cur_prgenv(), module)
-    cmd += 'module load %s;'    % compiler
-    cmd += 'module unload cray-libsci;'
-
-#  +
-#            'module load craype-network-gemini;' +
-#            'module load %s;' % module +
-#            'module swap gcc/4.6.1;' +
-#            'module load eswrap; ' +
-#            'module load craype-mc12; ' +
-#            'module load cray-shmem; ' +
-#            'module load cray-mpich; ')
-    cmd += ' '.join(args)
-    out, err = subprocess.Popen([cmd + ' '.join(args)], shell=True,
-                                stdout=subprocess.PIPE, stderr=subprocess.PIPE).communicate()
-    return out
-
-
-def _shell(*args):
-    return subprocess.Popen([' '.join(args)], shell=True,
-                            stdout=subprocess.PIPE, stderr=subprocess.PIPE).communicate()[1]
-
-
-
-
     def __repr__(self):
         """Return a string represntation of the compiler toolchain."""
         return self.__str__()
diff --git a/lib/spack/spack/compilers/__init__.py b/lib/spack/spack/compilers/__init__.py
index 8c4cb38926..6fc54daa61 100644
--- a/lib/spack/spack/compilers/__init__.py
+++ b/lib/spack/spack/compilers/__init__.py
@@ -197,18 +197,27 @@ def get_compiler(cspec):
             else:
                 compiler_paths.append(None)
 
-        return cls(cspec, *compiler_paths)
+        for m in _optional_instance_vars:
+            if m not in items:
+                items[m] = None
+            mods = items[m]
+
+        return cls(cspec, compiler_paths, mods)
 
     matches = find(compiler_spec)
     return [get_compiler(cspec) for cspec in matches]
 
 
 @_auto_compiler_spec
-def compiler_for_spec(compiler_spec):
+def compiler_for_spec(compiler_spec, target):
     """Get the compiler that satisfies compiler_spec.  compiler_spec must
        be concrete."""
     assert(compiler_spec.concrete)
     compilers = compilers_for_spec(compiler_spec)
+    if target.compiler_strategy == "PATH":
+        filter(lambda c: c.modules is None, compilers)
+    elif target.compiler_strategy == "MODULES":
+        filter(lambda c: c.modules is not None, compilers)
     assert(len(compilers) == 1)
     return compilers[0]
 
diff --git a/lib/spack/spack/package.py b/lib/spack/spack/package.py
index 61606d0590..b6a98f3ee6 100644
--- a/lib/spack/spack/package.py
+++ b/lib/spack/spack/package.py
@@ -592,7 +592,7 @@ def compiler(self):
         """Get the spack.compiler.Compiler object used to build this package."""
         if not self.spec.concrete:
             raise ValueError("Can only get a compiler for a concrete package.")
-        return spack.compilers.compiler_for_spec(self.spec.compiler)
+        return spack.compilers.compiler_for_spec(self.spec.compiler, self.spec.architecture)
 
 
     def url_version(self, version):