diff --git a/distutils/tests/__init__.py b/distutils/tests/__init__.py
index 27e73393..fdec5a96 100644
--- a/distutils/tests/__init__.py
+++ b/distutils/tests/__init__.py
@@ -6,3 +6,35 @@
 distutils.command.tests package, since command identification is done
 by import rather than matching pre-defined names.
 """
+
+def missing_compiler_executable(cmd_names=[]):
+    """Check if the compiler components used to build the interpreter exist.
+
+    Check for the existence of the compiler executables whose names are listed
+    in 'cmd_names' or all the compiler executables when 'cmd_names' is empty
+    and return the first missing executable or None when none is found
+    missing.
+
+    """
+    from distutils import ccompiler, sysconfig, spawn
+    from distutils import errors
+
+    compiler = ccompiler.new_compiler()
+    sysconfig.customize_compiler(compiler)
+    if compiler.compiler_type == "msvc":
+        # MSVC has no executables, so check whether initialization succeeds
+        try:
+            compiler.initialize()
+        except errors.PlatformError:
+            return "msvc"
+    for name in compiler.executables:
+        if cmd_names and name not in cmd_names:
+            continue
+        cmd = getattr(compiler, name)
+        if cmd_names:
+            assert cmd is not None, \
+                    "the '%s' executable is not configured" % name
+        elif not cmd:
+            continue
+        if spawn.find_executable(cmd[0]) is None:
+            return cmd[0]
diff --git a/distutils/tests/test_build_clib.py b/distutils/tests/test_build_clib.py
index b5a392a8..98ab0b17 100644
--- a/distutils/tests/test_build_clib.py
+++ b/distutils/tests/test_build_clib.py
@@ -1,13 +1,11 @@
 """Tests for distutils.command.build_clib."""
 import os
 
-from test.support import missing_compiler_executable
-
 import pytest
 
 from distutils.command.build_clib import build_clib
 from distutils.errors import DistutilsSetupError
-from distutils.tests import support
+from distutils.tests import support, missing_compiler_executable
 
 
 class TestBuildCLib(support.TempdirManager):
diff --git a/distutils/tests/test_build_ext.py b/distutils/tests/test_build_ext.py
index cb61ad74..3c83cca4 100644
--- a/distutils/tests/test_build_ext.py
+++ b/distutils/tests/test_build_ext.py
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 from distutils.core import Distribution
 from distutils.command.build_ext import build_ext
 from distutils import sysconfig
+from distutils.tests import missing_compiler_executable
 from distutils.tests.support import (
     TempdirManager,
     copy_xxmodule_c,
@@ -89,7 +90,7 @@ def build_ext(self, *args, **kwargs):
         return build_ext(*args, **kwargs)
 
     def test_build_ext(self):
-        cmd = support.missing_compiler_executable()
+        missing_compiler_executable()
         copy_xxmodule_c(self.tmp_dir)
         xx_c = os.path.join(self.tmp_dir, 'xxmodule.c')
         xx_ext = Extension('xx', [xx_c])
@@ -359,7 +360,7 @@ def test_compiler_option(self):
         assert cmd.compiler == 'unix'
 
     def test_get_outputs(self):
-        cmd = support.missing_compiler_executable()
+        missing_compiler_executable()
         tmp_dir = self.mkdtemp()
         c_file = os.path.join(tmp_dir, 'foo.c')
         self.write_file(c_file, 'void PyInit_foo(void) {}\n')
diff --git a/distutils/tests/test_config_cmd.py b/distutils/tests/test_config_cmd.py
index e72a7c5f..ecb85102 100644
--- a/distutils/tests/test_config_cmd.py
+++ b/distutils/tests/test_config_cmd.py
@@ -1,12 +1,11 @@
 """Tests for distutils.command.config."""
 import os
 import sys
-from test.support import missing_compiler_executable
 
 import pytest
 
 from distutils.command.config import dump_file, config
-from distutils.tests import support
+from distutils.tests import support, missing_compiler_executable
 from distutils._log import log
 
 
diff --git a/distutils/tests/test_install.py b/distutils/tests/test_install.py
index 3f525db4..082ee1d3 100644
--- a/distutils/tests/test_install.py
+++ b/distutils/tests/test_install.py
@@ -17,8 +17,7 @@
 from distutils.errors import DistutilsOptionError
 from distutils.extension import Extension
 
-from distutils.tests import support
-from test import support as test_support
+from distutils.tests import support, missing_compiler_executable
 
 
 def _make_ext_name(modname):
@@ -213,7 +212,7 @@ def test_record(self):
         assert found == expected
 
     def test_record_extensions(self):
-        cmd = test_support.missing_compiler_executable()
+        cmd = missing_compiler_executable()
         if cmd is not None:
             pytest.skip('The %r command is not found' % cmd)
         install_dir = self.mkdtemp()