diff --git a/loopy/target/c/c_execution.py b/loopy/target/c/c_execution.py
index d8b76d32afa64d308648420904f4f4bf8e2e2316..2c8ab16f2e789438bf7040909b96484c4fa93954 100644
--- a/loopy/target/c/c_execution.py
+++ b/loopy/target/c/c_execution.py
@@ -29,7 +29,8 @@ from loopy.target.execution import (KernelExecutorBase, _KernelInfo,
                              ExecutionWrapperGeneratorBase, get_highlighted_code)
 from pytools import memoize_method
 from pytools.py_codegen import (Indentation)
-from codepy.toolchain import guess_toolchain
+from pytools.prefork import ExecError
+from codepy.toolchain import guess_toolchain, ToolchainGuessError, GCCToolchain
 from codepy.jit import compile_from_string
 import six
 import ctypes
@@ -216,7 +217,18 @@ class CCompiler(object):
                  source_suffix='c'):
         # try to get a default toolchain
         # or subclass supplied version if available
-        self.toolchain = guess_toolchain() if toolchain is None else toolchain
+        self.toolchain = toolchain
+        if toolchain is None:
+            try:
+                self.toolchain = guess_toolchain()
+            except (ToolchainGuessError, ExecError):
+                # missing compiler python was built with (likely, Conda)
+                # use a default GCCToolchain
+                logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+                logger.warn('Default toolchain guessed from python config '
+                            'not found, replacing with default GCCToolchain.')
+                self.toolchain = GCCToolchain()
+
         self.source_suffix = source_suffix
         if toolchain is None:
             # copy in all differing values
@@ -312,14 +324,14 @@ class CompiledCKernel(object):
     to automatically map argument types.
     """
 
-    def __init__(self, knl, idi, dev_code, target, comp=CCompiler()):
+    def __init__(self, knl, idi, dev_code, target, comp=None):
         from loopy.target.c import ExecutableCTarget
         assert isinstance(target, ExecutableCTarget)
         self.target = target
         self.name = knl.name
         # get code and build
         self.code = dev_code
-        self.comp = comp
+        self.comp = comp if comp is not None else CCompiler()
         self.dll = self.comp.build(self.name, self.code)
 
         # get the function declaration for interface with ctypes