diff --git a/Source/cmGlobalGenerator.cxx b/Source/cmGlobalGenerator.cxx
index 5c07e31..b227599 100644
--- a/Source/cmGlobalGenerator.cxx
+++ b/Source/cmGlobalGenerator.cxx
@@ -235,6 +235,14 @@
   }
   cmProp cname =
     this->GetCMakeInstance()->GetState()->GetInitializedCacheValue(langComp);
+
+  // Split compiler from arguments
+  std::vector<std::string> cnameArgVec;
+  if (cname && !cname->empty()) {
+    cmExpandList(*cname, cnameArgVec);
+    cname = &cnameArgVec.front();
+  }
+
   std::string changeVars;
   if (cname && !optional) {
     std::string cnameString;
diff --git a/Source/cmRulePlaceholderExpander.cxx b/Source/cmRulePlaceholderExpander.cxx
index 254131b..4ff81c1 100644
--- a/Source/cmRulePlaceholderExpander.cxx
+++ b/Source/cmRulePlaceholderExpander.cxx
@@ -261,7 +261,7 @@
       this->VariableMappings["CMAKE_" + compIt->second +
                              "_COMPILE_OPTIONS_SYSROOT"];
 
-    // if there is a required first argument to the compiler add it
+    // if there are required arguments to the compiler add it
     // to the compiler string
     if (!compilerArg1.empty()) {
       ret += " ";