diff --git a/configure b/configure
index 853c06c6..b9db0033 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ Some influential environment variables:
   FFLAGS      Fortran 77 compiler flags
   FC          Fortran compiler command
   FCFLAGS     Fortran compiler flags
+  CMAKE_COMMAND  Executable used to run cmake scripts
 
 Use these variables to override the choices made by \`configure' or to help
 it to find libraries and programs with nonstandard names/locations.
@@ -90,10 +91,12 @@ option_check=yes
 FEATURES=
 
 # command that launches cmake; look for 2.8 if available
-if which cmake28 >/dev/null 2>&1; then
-CMAKE=cmake28
-else
-CMAKE=cmake
+if [ "${CMAKE_COMMAND}" = "" ]; then
+  if which cmake28 >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+    CMAKE_COMMAND=cmake28
+  else
+    CMAKE_COMMAND=cmake
+  fi
 fi
 
 # long arguments are implemented by putting a dash character followed by
@@ -121,7 +124,7 @@ while getopts -- ":-:" optchar; do
           # the parameter to this option is an executable program, so
           # skip the directory test in that case
           if [ "${pkgname}" = "cmake" ]; then
-            CMAKE="${pkgloc}"
+            CMAKE_COMMAND="${pkgloc}"
             break
           fi
           # expand to full path since CMake changes to source directory (!)
@@ -268,7 +271,7 @@ shift $((OPTIND-1))
 ENVVARS=${@/ACLOCAL_*=*/}
 
 # pass everything on to CMake
-CMDLINE="env ${ENVVARS} ${CMAKE} \"$(dirname "$0")\" \"-DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=$prefix\" -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=${buildtype}${pch_use}${silent_rules}${debug_loc} ${FEATURES}"
+CMDLINE="env ${ENVVARS} ${CMAKE_COMMAND} \"$(dirname "$0")\" \"-DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=$prefix\" -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=${buildtype}${pch_use}${silent_rules}${debug_loc} ${FEATURES}"
 echo --- calling CMake for opm-core ---
 echo ${CMDLINE}
 eval exec ${CMDLINE}