diff --git a/sit b/sit
index 65cbfc4..c2d3ede 100755
--- a/sit
+++ b/sit
@@ -102,19 +102,21 @@ sit_info "Sit class file(s): $sit_classfile"
 
 # compiler to use
 # (gnu|intel|pgi)
-COMPILER=${COMPILER:=${DEFAULT_COMPILER}}
+COMPILER=${COMPILER=$DEFAULT_COMPILER}
 sit_info_verbose "Compiler: $COMPILER"
 # use specific compiler version
 COMPILER_VERSION=${COMPILER_VERSION:=}
 sit_info_verbose "Compiler version: $COMPILER_VERSION"
 
 
-# Compiler specifications
-COMPILER_CONFIG_FILE="$SIT_PATH/etc/platform-configs/${PLATFORM}/compiler/${COMPILER}"
-if [ -e $COMPILER_CONFIG_FILE ] ; then
-    source $COMPILER_CONFIG_FILE
-else
-    sit_fail "Could not find configuration file for compiler '${COMPILER}' on platform '${PLATFORM}'."
+if [ ! -z ${COMPILER} ] ; then
+    # Compiler specifications if compiler != null
+    COMPILER_CONFIG_FILE="$SIT_PATH/etc/platform-configs/${PLATFORM}/compiler/${COMPILER}"
+    if [ -e $COMPILER_CONFIG_FILE ] ; then
+    	source $COMPILER_CONFIG_FILE
+    else
+    	sit_fail "Could not find configuration file for compiler '${COMPILER}' on platform '${PLATFORM}'."
+    fi
 fi