diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 5f1659d6fbc39dd583dfe4998471ffb31f0d8b10..aaaafd529ec30b0f7e3c98c9116319a7bc86576e 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ set(CMAKE_C_STANDARD 99)
 if(UNIX)
   set(TARGET_PLATFORM ""  CACHE STRING "i686 / x86_64")
   set(CLANG           ""  CACHE STRING "1=msan / 2=asan / 3=usan")
+  set(GCC             ""  CACHE STRING "1=use gcc instead of default (clang)")
   set(GCOV            OFF CACHE BOOL   "enable GCOV")
   set(STRIP           OFF CACHE BOOL   "enable STRIP")
 
@@ -62,10 +63,16 @@ if(UNIX)
   # to be uncommented in CI
   # set(CMAKE_C_FLAGS "${CMAKE_C_FLAGS} -Werror")
 
+  # set C compiler
+  if(GCC OR GCOV)
+    find_program(cc NAMES gcc-13 gcc REQUIRED)
+  else()
+    find_program(cc NAMES clang-18 clang REQUIRED)
+  endif()
+  set(CMAKE_C_COMPILER "${cc}" CACHE STRING "")
+
   # CLANG
   if(CLANG)
-    find_program(clangBin NAMES /home/amm-archiv/soft/Linux/clang/current/bin/clang clang REQUIRED)
-    set(CMAKE_C_COMPILER "${clangBin}" CACHE STRING "")
     if("${CLANG}" MATCHES "1" OR "${CLANG}" MATCHES "msan")
       set(CMAKE_C_FLAGS "${CMAKE_C_FLAGS} -fsanitize=memory")
       set(CMAKE_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS "${CMAKE_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS} -fsanitize=memory")
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index b2b5979898ada5e92d1da23d62974ef06b5aae48..15002c5ece528d7ad5ce8172ed240f9cd20651bb 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -31,9 +31,8 @@ LIB_LIBISAR  	?= libisar.a
 LIB_LC3PLUS  	?= liblc3plus.a
 LIB_LIBUTIL  	?= libivasutil.a
 
-
 # Default tool settings
-CC        ?= gcc
+CC        ?= cc
 RM        ?= rm -f
 AR        ?= ar
 
@@ -70,23 +69,28 @@ CFLAGS   += -std=c99 -pedantic -Wcast-qual -Wall -W -Wextra -Wno-long-long     \
 # libs to link
 LDLIBS   += -lm
 
-# Clang sanitizer compiler options
-CCCLANG = clang
-ifeq "$(CLANG)" "0"
-CC       = $(CCCLANG)
+# check if clang is available on system and use it if it is there
+CLANG_EXISTS := $(shell which clang)
+
+ifneq "$(CLANG_EXISTS)" ""
+CC = clang
+else
+$(warning clang compiler not found - falling back to cc)
 endif
+
+# Clang sanitizer compiler options
 ifeq "$(CLANG)" "1"
-CC       = $(CCCLANG)
+CC       = clang
 CFLAGS  += -fsanitize=memory
 LDFLAGS += -fsanitize=memory
 endif
 ifeq "$(CLANG)" "2"
-CC       = $(CCCLANG)
+CC       = clang
 CFLAGS  += -fsanitize=address
 LDFLAGS += -fsanitize=address
 endif
 ifeq "$(CLANG)" "3"
-CC       = $(CCCLANG) 
+CC       = clang
 # NOTE: keep in sync with list in CMakeLists.txt
 usan_checks = undefined,float-divide-by-zero,implicit-conversion,local-bounds
 CFLAGS  += -fsanitize=$(usan_checks) 
@@ -95,6 +99,11 @@ LDFLAGS += -fsanitize=$(usan_checks)
 LDFLAGS += -fsanitize-recover=$(usan_checks)
 endif
 
+# check if explicitly gcc is mandated
+ifneq "$(GCC)" ""
+CC = gcc
+endif
+
 ifeq "$(RELEASE)" "1"
 CFLAGS   += -DRELEASE
 OPTIM    ?= 2
@@ -106,6 +115,7 @@ LDFLAGS  += -g3
 endif
 
 ifeq "$(GCOV)" "1"
+CC       = gcc
 CFLAGS  += -fprofile-arcs -ftest-coverage -fprofile-update=atomic
 LDFLAGS += -fprofile-arcs -ftest-coverage -fprofile-update=atomic
 endif