diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index dbffa21a05923448537807b00484b6b76efe710a..ac6bb5ce42c09955f83d0d96f865daf499185cd4 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -98,9 +98,7 @@ build_system:
 	      && echo ":::::: DONE BOOTSTRAPPING $$pkg" \
 	      && echo ); \
 	      for var in $(VARIANTS); do \
-		case $$var in gnu3*) inst_var=gcc3;; \
-	                      gnu*)  inst_var=gcc2;; \
-	                      icc*)  inst_var=icc;; \
+		case $$var in *) inst_var=$$var;; \
 	        esac; \
 	        (echo \
 		&& echo ":::::: CONFIGURING VARIANT $$var FOR PACKAGE $$pkg" \
@@ -206,9 +204,7 @@ configure: $(VARIANTNAMES:.variant=.variant_configure)
 #
 %.variant_configure:
 	variant=`basename $@ .variant_configure`; \
-	case $$variant in gnu3*) inst_var=gcc3;; \
-	                  gnu*)  inst_var=gcc2;; \
-	                  icc*)  inst_var=icc;; \
+	case $$variant in *) inst_var=$$var;; \
 	esac; \
 	(echo \
 	&& echo ":::::: CONFIGURING VARIANT $$variant FOR PACKAGE $$pkg" \
diff --git a/autoconf_share/lofarconf_recur b/autoconf_share/lofarconf_recur
index 62a97f436cf1161daaa232cd3c0ce8d3b19ee504..a1532c6f3ccdb6e04ec5d86fbe07351e40927a15 100755
--- a/autoconf_share/lofarconf_recur
+++ b/autoconf_share/lofarconf_recur
@@ -151,9 +151,7 @@ build_system:
 	for pkg in $(RECUR_PACKAGES); do \
 	  if test -d $$pkg ; then \
 	      for var in $(RECUR_VARIANTS); do \
-		case $$var in gnu3*) inst_var=gcc3;; \
-	                      gnu*)  inst_var=gcc2;; \
-	                      icc*)  inst_var=icc;; \
+		case $$var in *) inst_var=$$var;; \
 	        esac; \
 	        (echo \
 		&& echo ":::::: CONFIGURING VARIANT $$var FOR PACKAGE $(LOFARPACKAGE)/$$pkg" \