diff --git a/mesonbuild/environment.py b/mesonbuild/environment.py
index e143b0b8b..47ab918c5 100644
--- a/mesonbuild/environment.py
+++ b/mesonbuild/environment.py
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ from . import mlog
 from .compilers import *
 from .mesonlib import EnvironmentException, Popen_safe
 import configparser
+import shlex
 import shutil
 
 build_filename = 'meson.build'
@@ -356,7 +357,7 @@ class Environment:
             else:
                 exe_wrap = []
         elif evar in os.environ:
-            compilers = os.environ[evar].split()
+            compilers = shlex.split(os.environ[evar])
             ccache = []
             is_cross = False
             exe_wrap = None