diff --git a/src/plugins/projectexplorer/abstractmsvctoolchain.cpp b/src/plugins/projectexplorer/abstractmsvctoolchain.cpp
index bd23cb8fe4fba311db8ccc6dac04474bcb8a8b37..ba30d803b5de9e9774a2e4d261779ef5bc7f5124 100644
--- a/src/plugins/projectexplorer/abstractmsvctoolchain.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/projectexplorer/abstractmsvctoolchain.cpp
@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@ QString AbstractMsvcToolChain::makeCommand(const Utils::Environment &environment
 
 Utils::FileName AbstractMsvcToolChain::compilerCommand() const
 {
-    Utils::Environment env;
+    Utils::Environment env = Utils::Environment::systemEnvironment();
     addToEnvironment(env);
     return Utils::FileName::fromString(env.searchInPath("cl.exe"));
 }