diff --git a/autogen.pl b/autogen.pl
index 5999baaeda..f6913c849f 100755
--- a/autogen.pl
+++ b/autogen.pl
@@ -84,8 +84,8 @@ if ($^O eq "solaris") {
     $patch_prog = "gpatch";
 }
 
-$username = getpwuid($>);
-$full_hostname = `hostname`;
+$username = $ENV{USER} || getpwuid($>);
+$full_hostname = $ENV{HOSTNAME} || `hostname`;
 chomp($full_hostname);
 $hostname = $full_hostname;
 $hostname =~ s/^([\w\-]+)\..+/\1/;
diff --git a/config/opal_functions.m4 b/config/opal_functions.m4
index 7a85dbf876..dca7519ca5 100644
--- a/config/opal_functions.m4
+++ b/config/opal_functions.m4
@@ -94,8 +94,8 @@ EOF
 # Save some stats about this build
 #
 
-OPAL_CONFIGURE_USER="`whoami`"
-OPAL_CONFIGURE_HOST="`(hostname || uname -n) 2> /dev/null | sed 1q`"
+OPAL_CONFIGURE_USER="${USER:-`whoami`}"
+OPAL_CONFIGURE_HOST="${HOSTNAME:-`(hostname || uname -n) 2> /dev/null | sed 1q`}"
 OPAL_CONFIGURE_DATE="`date`"
 
 OPAL_LIBNL_SANITY_INIT
@@ -116,8 +116,8 @@ AC_DEFUN([OPAL_BASIC_SETUP],[
 # Save some stats about this build
 #
 
-OPAL_CONFIGURE_USER="`whoami`"
-OPAL_CONFIGURE_HOST="`(hostname || uname -n) 2> /dev/null | sed 1q`"
+OPAL_CONFIGURE_USER="${USER:-`whoami`}"
+OPAL_CONFIGURE_HOST="${HOSTNAME:-`(hostname || uname -n) 2> /dev/null | sed 1q`}"
 OPAL_CONFIGURE_DATE="`date`"
 
 #
diff --git a/ompi/tools/ompi_info/Makefile.am b/ompi/tools/ompi_info/Makefile.am
index 296d8ba283..cfe81bcc8a 100644
--- a/ompi/tools/ompi_info/Makefile.am
+++ b/ompi/tools/ompi_info/Makefile.am
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ AM_CFLAGS = \
             -DOPAL_CONFIGURE_HOST="\"@OPAL_CONFIGURE_HOST@\"" \
             -DOPAL_CONFIGURE_DATE="\"@OPAL_CONFIGURE_DATE@\"" \
             -DOMPI_BUILD_USER="\"$$USER\"" \
-            -DOMPI_BUILD_HOST="\"`(hostname || uname -n) 2> /dev/null | sed 1q`\"" \
+            -DOMPI_BUILD_HOST="\"$${HOSTNAME:-`(hostname || uname -n) 2> /dev/null | sed 1q`}\"" \
             -DOMPI_BUILD_DATE="\"`date`\"" \
             -DOMPI_BUILD_CFLAGS="\"@CFLAGS@\"" \
             -DOMPI_BUILD_CPPFLAGS="\"@CPPFLAGS@\"" \
diff --git a/orte/tools/orte-info/Makefile.am b/orte/tools/orte-info/Makefile.am
index d1e6872840..b90dd92263 100644
--- a/orte/tools/orte-info/Makefile.am
+++ b/orte/tools/orte-info/Makefile.am
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ AM_CFLAGS = \
             -DOPAL_CONFIGURE_HOST="\"@OPAL_CONFIGURE_HOST@\"" \
             -DOPAL_CONFIGURE_DATE="\"@OPAL_CONFIGURE_DATE@\"" \
             -DOMPI_BUILD_USER="\"$$USER\"" \
-            -DOMPI_BUILD_HOST="\"`(hostname || uname -n) | sed 1q`\"" \
+            -DOMPI_BUILD_HOST="\"$${HOSTNAME:-`(hostname || uname -n) | sed 1q`}\"" \
             -DOMPI_BUILD_DATE="\"`date`\"" \
             -DOMPI_BUILD_CFLAGS="\"@CFLAGS@\"" \
             -DOMPI_BUILD_CPPFLAGS="\"@CPPFLAGS@\"" \
diff --git a/oshmem/tools/oshmem_info/Makefile.am b/oshmem/tools/oshmem_info/Makefile.am
index a474eaf51d..59573737b7 100644
--- a/oshmem/tools/oshmem_info/Makefile.am
+++ b/oshmem/tools/oshmem_info/Makefile.am
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ AM_CPPFLAGS = \
             -DOPAL_CONFIGURE_HOST="\"@OPAL_CONFIGURE_HOST@\"" \
             -DOPAL_CONFIGURE_DATE="\"@OPAL_CONFIGURE_DATE@\"" \
             -DOMPI_BUILD_USER="\"$$USER\"" \
-            -DOMPI_BUILD_HOST="\"`(hostname || uname -n) 2> /dev/null | sed 1q`\"" \
+            -DOMPI_BUILD_HOST="\"$${HOSTNAME:-`(hostname || uname -n) 2> /dev/null | sed 1q`}\"" \
             -DOMPI_BUILD_DATE="\"`date`\"" \
             -DOMPI_BUILD_CFLAGS="\"@CFLAGS@\"" \
             -DOMPI_BUILD_CPPFLAGS="\"@CPPFLAGS@\"" \