diff --git a/core/combo/javac.mk b/core/combo/javac.mk
index 4248af0a03..7f91aa9dd6 100644
--- a/core/combo/javac.mk
+++ b/core/combo/javac.mk
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 # Selects a Java compiler.
 #
 # Inputs:
-#	CUSTOM_JAVA_COMPILER -- "eclipse", "openjdk". or nothing for the system 
+#	CUSTOM_JAVA_COMPILER -- "eclipse", "openjdk". or nothing for the system
 #                           default
 #	ALTERNATE_JAVAC -- the alternate java compiler to use
 #
@@ -22,6 +22,13 @@ else
 JAVACC := $(ALTERNATE_JAVAC)
 endif
 
+# The actual compiler can be wrapped by setting the JAVAC_WRAPPER var.
+ifdef JAVAC_WRAPPER
+    ifneq ($(JAVAC_WRAPPER),$(firstword $(JAVACC)))
+        JAVACC := $(JAVAC_WRAPPER) $(JAVACC)
+    endif
+endif
+
 # Whatever compiler is on this system.
 ifeq ($(BUILD_OS), windows)
     COMMON_JAVAC := development/host/windows/prebuilt/javawrap.exe -J-Xmx256m \
diff --git a/core/combo/select.mk b/core/combo/select.mk
index 8234a8fcb1..98697e0266 100644
--- a/core/combo/select.mk
+++ b/core/combo/select.mk
@@ -92,13 +92,20 @@ ifneq ($(USE_CCACHE),)
   # Check that the executable is here.
   ccache := $(strip $(wildcard $(ccache)))
   ifdef ccache
-    # prepend ccache if necessary
-    ifneq ($(ccache),$(firstword $($(combo_var_prefix)CC)))
-      $(combo_var_prefix)CC := $(ccache) $($(combo_var_prefix)CC)
-    endif
-    ifneq ($(ccache),$(firstword $($(combo_var_prefix)CXX)))
-      $(combo_var_prefix)CXX := $(ccache) $($(combo_var_prefix)CXX)
-    endif
+    CC_WRAPPER ?= $(ccache)
+    CXX_WRAPPER ?= $(ccache)
     ccache =
   endif
 endif
+
+# The C/C++ compiler can be wrapped by setting the CC/CXX_WRAPPER vars.
+ifdef CC_WRAPPER
+  ifneq ($(CC_WRAPPER),$(firstword $($(combo_var_prefix)CC)))
+    $(combo_var_prefix)CC := $(CC_WRAPPER) $($(combo_var_prefix)CC)
+  endif
+endif
+ifdef CXX_WRAPPER
+  ifneq ($(CXX_WRAPPER),$(firstword $($(combo_var_prefix)CXX)))
+    $(combo_var_prefix)CXX := $(CXX_WRAPPER) $($(combo_var_prefix)CXX)
+  endif
+endif