diff --git a/lib/rscons/environment.rb b/lib/rscons/environment.rb
index 26a8e5a..8168378 100644
--- a/lib/rscons/environment.rb
+++ b/lib/rscons/environment.rb
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ module Rscons
       (@variables[:builders] || []).each do |builder|
         add_builder(builder)
       end
+      @variables[:echo] ||= :command
     end
 
     def add_builder(builder)
@@ -117,9 +118,9 @@ module Rscons
         end
       end
       command = expand_varref.call(command.flatten).flatten
-      if @echo == :command
+      if @variables[:echo] == :command
         puts command.map { |c| c =~ /\s/ ?  "'#{c}'" : c }.join(' ')
-      elsif @echo == :short
+      elsif @variables[:echo] == :short
         puts short_desc
       end
       system(*command)
diff --git a/spec/build_tests_spec.rb b/spec/build_tests_spec.rb
index 0016658..f403d86 100644
--- a/spec/build_tests_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/build_tests_spec.rb
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ describe Rscons do
 
   def build_testdir
     if File.exists?("build.rb")
-      system("ruby -I #{@owd}/lib -r rscons build.rb")
+      system("ruby -I #{@owd}/lib -r rscons build.rb > build.out")
     end
   end
 
@@ -44,6 +44,14 @@ describe Rscons do
     `./simple`.should == "This is a simple C program\n"
   end
 
+  it 'prints commands as they are executed' do
+    test_dir('simple')
+    File.read('build.out').should == <<EOF
+gcc -c -o simple.o -MMD -MF simple.mf simple.c
+gcc -o simple simple.o
+EOF
+  end
+
   it 'builds a C program with one source file and one header file' do
     test_dir('header')
     File.exists?('header.o').should be_true