diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index be1d59c25..1c3181a51 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -158,6 +158,8 @@ ifeq ($(findstring MINGW, $(HOST_OS)), MINGW)
 CC = gcc
 endif
 
+CC_WORKING := $(call c_compile_test, Makefile.d/cc_test.c)
+
 # Determine the destination OS, architecture and endian
 # IMPORTANT: The following lines must be placed before TARGET_OS, ARCH or ENDIAN
 # is ever used (of course), but should come after any lines setting CC because
@@ -887,13 +889,10 @@ strip: $(PROGRAM)$(EXEC_SUFFIX)
 # to environment variables and are referenced with $$<varname> later
 
 compiler: featuresavailable
-	@printf "Checking for a C compiler... " | tee -a $(BUILD_DETAILS_FILE)
-	@echo "$$COMPILER_TEST" > .test.c
-	@printf "\nexec: %s\n" "$(CC) $(CPPFLAGS) $(CFLAGS) $(LDFLAGS) .test.c -o .test$(EXEC_SUFFIX)" >>$(BUILD_DETAILS_FILE)
-	@{ { { { { $(CC) $(CPPFLAGS) $(CFLAGS) $(LDFLAGS) .test.c -o .test$(EXEC_SUFFIX) >&2 && \
-		echo "found." || { echo "not found."; \
-		rm -f .test.c .test$(EXEC_SUFFIX); exit 1; }; } 2>>$(BUILD_DETAILS_FILE); echo $? >&3 ; } | tee -a $(BUILD_DETAILS_FILE) >&4; } 3>&1;} | { read rc ; exit ${rc}; } } 4>&1
-	@rm -f .test.c .test$(EXEC_SUFFIX)
+	@echo -n "C compiler found: "
+	@if [ $(CC_WORKING) = yes ]; \
+		then $(CC) --version 2>/dev/null | head -1; \
+		else echo no; echo Aborting.; exit 1; fi
 	@echo Target arch is $(ARCH)
 	@if [ $(ARCH) = unknown ]; then echo Aborting.; exit 1; fi
 	@echo Target OS is $(TARGET_OS)
diff --git a/Makefile.d/cc_test.c b/Makefile.d/cc_test.c
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..0610964d8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Makefile.d/cc_test.c
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+int main(int argc, char **argv)
+{
+	(void)argc;
+	(void)argv;
+	return 0;
+}
diff --git a/Makefile.include b/Makefile.include
index ca70d0514..2b5a3447d 100644
--- a/Makefile.include
+++ b/Makefile.include
@@ -36,15 +36,9 @@ define c_macro_test
 $(strip $(shell $(CC) -E $1 2>/dev/null | tail -1 | tr -d '"'))
 endef
 
-define COMPILER_TEST
-int main(int argc, char **argv)
-{
-	(void) argc;
-	(void) argv;
-	return 0;
-}
+define c_compile_test
+$(shell $(CC) -c -Wall -Werror -o /dev/null $1 2>/dev/null && echo yes || echo no)
 endef
-export COMPILER_TEST
 
 define LIBPCI_TEST
 /* Avoid a failing test due to libpci header symbol shadowing breakage */