diff -r abc1014d5ad6 autobuild/autobuild_tool_build.py
--- a/autobuild/autobuild_tool_build.py	Tue Mar 15 14:46:44 2011 -0700
+++ b/autobuild/autobuild_tool_build.py	Thu Mar 17 13:54:00 2011 -0700
@@ -147,8 +147,8 @@
     else:
         logger.info('no build executable defined; doing nothing')
         return 0
-    logger.info('executing build command %s', build_executable)
+    logger.info('executing build command %s', build_executable.__str__(extra_arguments))
     if not dry_run:
-        return build_executable(extra_arguments)
+        return build_executable(extra_arguments, common.get_autobuild_environment())
     else:
         return 0
diff -r abc1014d5ad6 autobuild/autobuild_tool_configure.py
--- a/autobuild/autobuild_tool_configure.py	Tue Mar 15 14:46:44 2011 -0700
+++ b/autobuild/autobuild_tool_configure.py	Thu Mar 17 13:54:00 2011 -0700
@@ -123,8 +123,8 @@
     else:
         logger.info('no configure executable defined; doing nothing')
         return 0
-    logger.info('executing configure command %s', configure_executable)
+    logger.info('executing configure command %s', configure_executable.__str__(extra_arguments))
     if not dry_run:
-        return configure_executable(extra_arguments)
+        return configure_executable(extra_arguments, common.get_autobuild_environment())
     else:
         return 0
diff -r abc1014d5ad6 autobuild/common.py
--- a/autobuild/common.py	Tue Mar 15 14:46:44 2011 -0700
+++ b/autobuild/common.py	Thu Mar 17 13:54:00 2011 -0700
@@ -103,6 +103,13 @@
     """
     scp = find_executable(['pscp', 'scp'], ['.exe'])
     return scp
+    
+def get_autobuild_environment():
+    """
+    Return an environment under which to execute autobuild subprocesses.
+    """
+    return dict(os.environ, AUTOBUILD=os.environ.get(
+        'AUTOBUILD', get_autobuild_executable_path()))
 
 def get_default_install_cache_dir():
     """
diff -r abc1014d5ad6 autobuild/executable.py
--- a/autobuild/executable.py	Tue Mar 15 14:46:44 2011 -0700
+++ b/autobuild/executable.py	Thu Mar 17 13:54:00 2011 -0700
@@ -66,24 +66,14 @@
         self.arguments = arguments
         self.parent = parent
     
-    def __call__(self, options=[]):
-        actual_command = self.get_command()
-        if actual_command is None:
-            raise ExecutableError('no command specified')
-        all_arguments = [actual_command]
-        all_arguments.extend(self.get_options())
-        all_arguments.extend(options)
-        all_arguments.extend(self.get_arguments())
-
-        autobuild_env = dict(os.environ, AUTOBUILD=os.environ.get('AUTOBUILD',common.get_autobuild_executable_path()))
-
-        return subprocess.call(' '.join(all_arguments), shell=True, env=autobuild_env)
+    def __call__(self, options=[], environment=os.environ):
+        return subprocess.call(' '.join(self._get_all_arguments(options)), shell=True, env=environment)
    
-    def __str__(self):
-        all_arguments = [self.get_command()]
-        all_arguments.extend(self.get_options())
-        all_arguments.extend(self.get_arguments())
-        return ' '.join(all_arguments)
+    def __str__(self, options=[]):
+        try:   
+            return ' '.join(self._get_all_arguments(options))
+        except:
+            return 'INVALID EXECUTABLE!'
     
     def get_arguments(self):
         """
@@ -117,4 +107,13 @@
             return self.parent.get_command()
         else:
             None
-            
+    
+    def _get_all_arguments(self, options):
+        actual_command = self.get_command()
+        if actual_command is None:
+            raise ExecutableError('no command specified')
+        all_arguments = [actual_command]
+        all_arguments.extend(self.get_options())
+        all_arguments.extend(options)
+        all_arguments.extend(self.get_arguments())
+        return all_arguments