diff --git a/test/null/test_device.py b/test/null/test_device.py
index 31ccf1b26b..d5f6fffa19 100644
--- a/test/null/test_device.py
+++ b/test/null/test_device.py
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env python
 import unittest, os, subprocess
+from unittest.mock import patch
 from tinygrad import Tensor
 from tinygrad.device import Device, Compiler, enumerate_devices_str
 from tinygrad.helpers import diskcache_get, diskcache_put, getenv, Context, WIN, CI, OSX
@@ -76,6 +77,18 @@ class TestDevice(unittest.TestCase):
       self.assertIsInstance(Device["CPU"].compiler, CPULLVMCompiler)
       assert inst is Device["CPU"].compiler  # cached
 
+  @unittest.skipIf(Device.DEFAULT != "CPU", "only run on CPU")
+  def test_compiler_autodetect_fallback(self):
+    from tinygrad.runtime.support.compiler_cpu import CPULLVMCompiler
+
+    try: CPULLVMCompiler()
+    except Exception as e: self.skipTest(f"skipping: LLVM not available: {e}")
+
+    dev = Device["CPU"]
+    dev.cached_pair.clear()
+    with patch("tinygrad.renderer.cstyle.ClangJITRenderer.__init__", side_effect=RuntimeError("broken")):
+      self.assertIsInstance(dev.renderer.compiler, CPULLVMCompiler)
+
 class MockCompiler(Compiler):
   def __init__(self, key): super().__init__(key)
   def compile(self, src) -> bytes: return src.encode()
diff --git a/tinygrad/device.py b/tinygrad/device.py
index eeba279627..6f95b01a4c 100644
--- a/tinygrad/device.py
+++ b/tinygrad/device.py
@@ -304,7 +304,7 @@ class Compiled:
 
     # remove disabled compilers
     for en, rc in self.comp_sets.values():
-      if en is not None and en.value == 0 and rc in comps: comps.remove(rc)
+      if en is not None and en.value == 0 and en.key in os.environ and rc in comps: comps.remove(rc)
 
     return select_first_inited(list(forced_comps) if len(forced_comps)>0 else comps, f"No compiler for {self.device} is available", self.cached_pair)