diff --git a/stackinator/etc/envvars.py b/stackinator/etc/envvars.py
index 0f122057..7c63b6c8 100755
--- a/stackinator/etc/envvars.py
+++ b/stackinator/etc/envvars.py
@@ -7,8 +7,6 @@
 from enum import Enum
 from typing import List, Optional
 
-import yaml
-
 
 class EnvVarOp(Enum):
     PREPEND = 1
@@ -504,12 +502,8 @@ def view_impl(args):
     envvars.remove_root(args.build_path)
 
     if args.compilers is not None:
-        if not os.path.isfile(args.compilers):
-            print(f"error - compiler yaml file {args.compilers} does not exist")
-            exit(1)
-
         with open(args.compilers, "r") as file:
-            data = yaml.safe_load(file)
+            data = json.load(file)
 
         compilers = []
         for p in data["packages"].values():
diff --git a/stackinator/templates/Make.user b/stackinator/templates/Make.user
index cb8acb03..68c8f154 100644
--- a/stackinator/templates/Make.user
+++ b/stackinator/templates/Make.user
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@
 
 # Copy this file to Make.user and set some variables.
 
+SHELL := bash
+
 # This is the root of the software stack directory.
 BUILD_ROOT := {{ build_path }}
 
diff --git a/stackinator/templates/Makefile.environments b/stackinator/templates/Makefile.environments
index 5a530232..01929d9c 100644
--- a/stackinator/templates/Makefile.environments
+++ b/stackinator/templates/Makefile.environments
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ all:{% for env in environments %} {{ env }}/generated/build_cache{% endfor %}
 {{ env }}/generated/view_config: {{ env }}/generated/env
 {% for view in config.views %}
 	$(SPACK) env activate --with-view {{ view.name }} --sh ./{{ env }} > $(STORE)/env/{{ view.name }}/activate.sh
-	$(BUILD_ROOT)/envvars.py view {% if view.extra.add_compilers %}--compilers=./{{ env }}/packages.yaml {% endif %} --prefix_paths="{{ view.extra.prefix_string }}" $(STORE)/env/{{ view.name }} $(BUILD_ROOT)
+	$(BUILD_ROOT)/envvars.py view {% if view.extra.add_compilers %}--compilers=<(yq read -j -p v ./{{ env }}/packages.yaml) {% endif %} --prefix_paths="{{ view.extra.prefix_string }}" $(STORE)/env/{{ view.name }} $(BUILD_ROOT)
 {% endfor %}
 	touch $@