diff --git a/build.sh b/build.sh
index 7e44c6fee31664b3a4c26f8a4da66cc4fd6fdc5c..cf18c3f5418d4ca4af5b77d4980d8b1ae510d085 100755
--- a/build.sh
+++ b/build.sh
@@ -110,6 +110,11 @@ pre_build()
     then # show that we're doing this, just not the contents
          echo source "$bugsplat_sh"
          source "$bugsplat_sh"
+         # important: we test this and use its value in [grand-]child processes
+         if [ -n "${BUGSPLAT_DB:-}" ]
+         then echo export BUGSPLAT_DB
+              export BUGSPLAT_DB
+         fi
     fi
     set -x
 
diff --git a/indra/cmake/Copy3rdPartyLibs.cmake b/indra/cmake/Copy3rdPartyLibs.cmake
index 7f708bc27a3495e8f2f4510e14d73b06502b6da4..c9519b0e1d8ef60d44f97871420c494ac8b71293 100644
--- a/indra/cmake/Copy3rdPartyLibs.cmake
+++ b/indra/cmake/Copy3rdPartyLibs.cmake
@@ -51,15 +51,17 @@ if(WINDOWS)
 
     # Filenames are different for 32/64 bit BugSplat file and we don't
     # have any control over them so need to branch.
-    if(ADDRESS_SIZE EQUAL 32)
+    if (DEFINED ENV{BUGSPLAT_DB})
+      if(ADDRESS_SIZE EQUAL 32)
         set(release_files ${release_files} BugSplat.dll)
         set(release_files ${release_files} BugSplatRc.dll)
         set(release_files ${release_files} BsSndRpt.exe)
-    else(ADDRESS_SIZE EQUAL 32)
+      else(ADDRESS_SIZE EQUAL 32)
         set(release_files ${release_files} BugSplat64.dll)
         set(release_files ${release_files} BugSplatRc64.dll)
         set(release_files ${release_files} BsSndRpt64.exe)
-    endif(ADDRESS_SIZE EQUAL 32)
+      endif(ADDRESS_SIZE EQUAL 32)
+    endif (DEFINED ENV{BUGSPLAT_DB})
 
     if (FMODEX)
 
diff --git a/indra/cmake/bugsplat.cmake b/indra/cmake/bugsplat.cmake
index 4db9068b49a820551b1c44f16734aeca5b0e20ff..eb5808b1fbba0687772aa629777e8f848fe1493a 100644
--- a/indra/cmake/bugsplat.cmake
+++ b/indra/cmake/bugsplat.cmake
@@ -3,10 +3,12 @@
 # build).
 if (DEFINED ENV{BUGSPLAT_DB})
   if (USESYSTEMLIBS)
+    message(STATUS "Looking for system BugSplat")
     set(BUGSPLAT_FIND_QUIETLY ON)
     set(BUGSPLAT_FIND_REQUIRED ON)
     include(FindBUGSPLAT)
   else (USESYSTEMLIBS)
+    message(STATUS "Engaging autobuild BugSplat")
     include(Prebuilt)
     use_prebuilt_binary(bugsplat)
     if (WINDOWS)