--- source/config/mh-cygwin-msvc
+++ source/config/mh-cygwin-msvc
@@ -51,8 +51,8 @@
 LDFLAGS+=-nologo
 
 # Commands to compile
-COMPILE.c=	$(CC) $(CPPFLAGS) $(DEFS) $(CFLAGS) -c
+COMPILE.c=	true && $(CC) $(CPPFLAGS) $(DEFS) $(CFLAGS) -c
-COMPILE.cc=	$(CXX) $(CPPFLAGS) $(DEFS) $(CXXFLAGS) -c
+COMPILE.cc=	true && $(CXX) $(CPPFLAGS) $(DEFS) $(CXXFLAGS) -c
 
 # Commands to link
 LINK.c=		LINK.EXE -subsystem:console $(LDFLAGS)
--- source/runConfigureICU
+++ source/runConfigureICU
@@ -259,8 +259,8 @@
     Cygwin/MSVC)
         THE_OS="Windows with Cygwin"
         THE_COMP="Microsoft Visual C++"
-        CC=cl; export CC
-        CXX=cl; export CXX
+        CC=${CC-cl}; export CC
+        CXX=${CXX-cl}; export CXX
         RELEASE_CFLAGS='-Gy -MD'
         RELEASE_CXXFLAGS='-Gy -MD'
         DEBUG_CFLAGS='-Zi -MDd'