diff --git a/AboutThisBuild.cmake b/AboutThisBuild.cmake
index 2f4eed5cb..56cf47fd8 100644
--- a/AboutThisBuild.cmake
+++ b/AboutThisBuild.cmake
@@ -1,6 +1,4 @@
 # cmakefile executed within a makefile target
-# there should be a better way of getting the compiler + compiler version, not restrained to Gcc
-execute_process(COMMAND gcc -dumpversion OUTPUT_VARIABLE GCC_VERSION OUTPUT_STRIP_TRAILING_WHITESPACE)
 
 # If we find ReleaseInfo.cmake we use the info from there and don't need Mercurial to be installed
 find_file(REL_INFO_FILE ReleaseInfo.cmake PATHS "${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}" NO_DEFAULT_PATH)
diff --git a/AboutThisBuild.txt.in b/AboutThisBuild.txt.in
index 7449e06f4..618926eec 100644
--- a/AboutThisBuild.txt.in
+++ b/AboutThisBuild.txt.in
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 Branch: ${HG_BRANCH}
 Version: ${HG_VERSION}
 Changeset: ${HG_CHANGESET}
-Compiler: GCC ${GCC_VERSION}
+Compiler: ${COMPILER_INFO}
 Processor: ${PROC_LABEL}
 System: ${SYSTEM}
 Bit depth: ${PROC_BIT_DEPTH}
diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index ec5922e31..5544e1539 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -197,6 +197,16 @@ elseif (CMAKE_SIZEOF_VOID_P EQUAL 8)
   set(PROC_BIT_DEPTH 64 bits)
 endif (CMAKE_SIZEOF_VOID_P EQUAL 4)
 
+# Get comiler name and version
+# only cmake > 2.8.7 knows CMAKE_*_COMPILER_VERSION
+if (CMAKE_VERSION VERSION_GREATER 2.8.7)
+  get_filename_component(COMPILER_INFO ${CMAKE_C_COMPILER} NAME_WE)
+  set(COMPILER_INFO "${COMPILER_INFO} ${CMAKE_C_COMPILER_VERSION}")
+else ()
+  execute_process(COMMAND gcc -dumpversion OUTPUT_VARIABLE GCC_VERSION OUTPUT_STRIP_TRAILING_WHITESPACE)
+  set(COMPILER_INFO "gcc ${GCC_VERSION}")
+endif ()
+
 # Get c++ and linker flags
 set(CXX_FLAGS "${CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS} ${CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS_${UPPER_CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE}}")
 set(LFLAGS "${CMAKE_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS} ${CMAKE_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS_${UPPER_CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE}}")
@@ -214,15 +224,18 @@ set(ABOUT_COMMAND_WITH_ARGS ${CMAKE_COMMAND}
 if (WIN32)
   list(APPEND ABOUT_COMMAND_WITH_ARGS -DSYSTEM:STRING=Windows
                                       -DCXX_FLAGS:STRING="${CXX_FLAGS}"
-                                      -DLFLAGS:STRING="${LFLAGS}")
+                                      -DLFLAGS:STRING="${LFLAGS}"
+                                      -DCOMPILER_INFO:STRING="${COMPILER_INFO}")
 elseif (APPLE)
   list(APPEND ABOUT_COMMAND_WITH_ARGS -DSYSTEM:STRING=Apple
                                       -DCXX_FLAGS:STRING=${CXX_FLAGS}
-                                      -DLFLAGS:STRING=${LFLAGS})
+                                      -DLFLAGS:STRING=${LFLAGS}
+                                      -DCOMPILER_INFO:STRING=${COMPILER_INFO})
 else (WIN32)
   list(APPEND ABOUT_COMMAND_WITH_ARGS -DSYSTEM:STRING=Linux
                                       -DCXX_FLAGS:STRING=${CXX_FLAGS}
-                                      -DLFLAGS:STRING=${LFLAGS})
+                                      -DLFLAGS:STRING=${LFLAGS}
+                                      -DCOMPILER_INFO:STRING=${COMPILER_INFO})
 endif (WIN32)
 
 list(APPEND ABOUT_COMMAND_WITH_ARGS -P "${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/AboutThisBuild.cmake")