--- a/cmake_modules/GraphBLAS_JIT_configure.cmake
+++ b/cmake_modules/GraphBLAS_JIT_configure.cmake
@@ -14,7 +14,8 @@ if ( MINGW )
 else ( )
     set ( C_COMPILER_BINARY "${CMAKE_C_COMPILER}" )
 endif ( )
-set ( GB_C_COMPILER  "${C_COMPILER_BINARY}" )
+set ( GRAPHBLAS_JIT_C_COMPILER "${C_COMPILER_BINARY}" CACHE STRING "C compiler used by the JIT at run time" )
+set ( GB_C_COMPILER  "${GRAPHBLAS_JIT_C_COMPILER}" )
 set ( GB_C_FLAGS "${CMAKE_C_FLAGS}" )
 set ( GB_C_LINK_FLAGS "${CMAKE_SHARED_LINKER_FLAGS}" )
 set ( GB_LIB_SUFFIX "${CMAKE_SHARED_LIBRARY_SUFFIX}" )