diff --git a/Shorewall-common/lib.config b/Shorewall-common/lib.config
index 12b0373bb..39a485644 100644
--- a/Shorewall-common/lib.config
+++ b/Shorewall-common/lib.config
@@ -1798,20 +1798,6 @@ do_initialize() {
     #
     ensure_config_path
 
-    if [ $PROGRAM = compiler ]; then
-	case "${SHOREWALL_COMPILER:=shell}" in
-	    perl)
-		export CONFIG_PATH;
-		return;
-		;;
-	    shell)
-		;;
-	    *)
-		startup_error "Invalid value ($SHOREWALL_COMPILER) for SHOREWALL_COMPILER"
-		;;
-	esac
-    fi
-
     TMP_DIR=$(mktempdir)
 
     [ -n "$TMP_DIR" ] && chmod 700 $TMP_DIR || \
diff --git a/Shorewall-common/shorewall b/Shorewall-common/shorewall
index 49dcbd87a..0e39ed6e9 100755
--- a/Shorewall-common/shorewall
+++ b/Shorewall-common/shorewall
@@ -244,7 +244,9 @@ compiler() {
 
     set +a
 
-    if [ -x $sc ]; then
+    if [ -n "$SHOREWALL_COMPILER" ]; then
+	compiler="$SHOREWALL_COMPILER"
+    elif [ -x $sc ]; then
 	if [ -x $pc ]; then
 	    compiler=
 	else
@@ -450,10 +452,18 @@ compile_command() {
 			    EXPORT=Yes
 			    option=${option#e}
 			    ;;
-			p*)
+			P*)
 			    PROFILE=Yes
+			    option=${option#P}
+			    ;;
+			p*)
+			    SHOREWALL_COMPILER=perl
 			    option=${option#p}
 			    ;;
+			s*)
+			    SHOREWALL_COMPILER=shell
+			    option=${option#s}
+			    ;;
 			d*)
 			    DEBUG=Yes;
 			    option=${option#d}
@@ -529,10 +539,18 @@ check_command() {
 			    EXPORT=Yes
 			    option=${option#e}
 			    ;;
-			p*)
+			P*)
 			    PROFILE=Yes
+			    option=${option#P}
+			    ;;
+			p*)
+			    SHOREWALL_COMPILER=perl
 			    option=${option#p}
 			    ;;
+			s*)
+			    SHOREWALL_COMPILER=shell
+			    option=${option#s}
+			    ;;
 			d*)
 			    DEBUG=Yes;
 			    option=${option#d}
@@ -601,6 +619,14 @@ restart_command() {
 			    NOROUTES=Yes
 			    option=${option#n}
 			    ;;
+			p*)
+			    SHOREWALL_COMPILER=perl
+			    option=${option#p}
+			    ;;
+			s*)
+			    SHOREWALL_COMPILER=shell
+			    option=${option#s}
+			    ;;
 			*)
 			    usage 1
 			    ;;
@@ -678,6 +704,14 @@ refresh_command() {
 			    finished=1
 			    option=
 			    ;;
+			p*)
+			    SHOREWALL_COMPILER=perl
+			    option=${option#p}
+			    ;;
+			s*)
+			    SHOREWALL_COMPILER=shell
+			    option=${option#s}
+			    ;;
 			*)
 			    usage 1
 			    ;;
@@ -755,6 +789,14 @@ safe_commands() {
 			    NOROUTES=Yes
 			    option=${option#n}
 			    ;;
+			p*)
+			    SHOREWALL_COMPILER=perl
+			    option=${option#p}
+			    ;;
+			s*)
+			    SHOREWALL_COMPILER=shell
+			    option=${option#s}
+			    ;;
 			*)
 			    usage 1
 			    ;;
@@ -899,6 +941,14 @@ try_command() {
 			    NOROUTES=Yes
 			    option=${option#n}
 			    ;;
+			p*)
+			    SHOREWALL_COMPILER=perl
+			    option=${option#p}
+			    ;;
+			s*)
+			    SHOREWALL_COMPILER=shell
+			    option=${option#s}
+			    ;;
 			*)
 			    usage 1
 			    ;;
diff --git a/Shorewall-shell/compiler b/Shorewall-shell/compiler
index 28af44fb5..06854e800 100755
--- a/Shorewall-shell/compiler
+++ b/Shorewall-shell/compiler
@@ -5673,13 +5673,13 @@ case "$COMMAND" in
     check)
 	[ $# -ne 1 ] && usage
 	do_initialize
-	[ "$SHOREWALL_COMPILER" = perl ] && exec perl $debug /usr/share/shorewall-perl/compiler.pl || compile_firewall
+	compile_firewall
 	;;
 
     compile)
 	[ $# -ne 2 ] && usage
 	do_initialize
-	[ "$SHOREWALL_COMPILER" = perl ] && exec perl $debug /usr/share/shorewall-perl/compiler.pl $2 || compile_firewall $2
+	compile_firewall $2
 	;;
 
     call)
diff --git a/docs/Shorewall-4.xml b/docs/Shorewall-4.xml
index 0e27e7982..c5fcb0304 100644
--- a/docs/Shorewall-4.xml
+++ b/docs/Shorewall-4.xml
@@ -120,6 +120,30 @@
     Shorewall.</para>
   </section>
 
+  <section>
+    <title>Prerequisites for using the Shorewall Version 4 Perl-based
+    Compiler</title>
+
+    <itemizedlist>
+      <listitem>
+        <para>Perl (I use Perl 5.8.8 but other versions should work
+        fine)</para>
+      </listitem>
+
+      <listitem>
+        <para>Perl Cwd Module</para>
+      </listitem>
+
+      <listitem>
+        <para>Perl File::Basename Module</para>
+      </listitem>
+
+      <listitem>
+        <para>Perl File::Temp Module</para>
+      </listitem>
+    </itemizedlist>
+  </section>
+
   <section>
     <title>Incompatibilities Introduced in the Shorewall Version 4 Perl-based
     Compiler</title>
@@ -376,30 +400,6 @@ fi</programlisting>
     </orderedlist>
   </section>
 
-  <section>
-    <title>Prerequisites for using the Shorewall Version 4 Perl-based
-    Compiler</title>
-
-    <itemizedlist>
-      <listitem>
-        <para>Perl (I use Perl 5.8.8 but other versions should work
-        fine)</para>
-      </listitem>
-
-      <listitem>
-        <para>Perl Cwd Module</para>
-      </listitem>
-
-      <listitem>
-        <para>Perl File::Basename Module</para>
-      </listitem>
-
-      <listitem>
-        <para>Perl File::Temp Module</para>
-      </listitem>
-    </itemizedlist>
-  </section>
-
   <section>
     <title>Compiler Selection</title>