diff --git a/tools/toolchains/arm.py b/tools/toolchains/arm.py
index 6d8afbfb1a..5aa7ae5124 100644
--- a/tools/toolchains/arm.py
+++ b/tools/toolchains/arm.py
@@ -114,11 +114,14 @@ class ARM(mbedToolchain):
         dep_path = base + '.d'
         return ["--depend", dep_path]
 
+    def get_config_option(self, config_header) :
+        return ['--preinclude', config_header]
+
     def get_compile_options(self, defines, includes):        
         opts = ['-D%s' % d for d in defines] + ['--via', self.get_inc_file(includes)]
         config_header = self.get_config_header()
         if config_header is not None:
-            opts = opts + ['--preinclude', config_header]
+            opts = opts + self.get_config_option(config_header)
         return opts
 
     @hook_tool
diff --git a/tools/toolchains/gcc.py b/tools/toolchains/gcc.py
index e41f9dbb9c..72a1ea9863 100644
--- a/tools/toolchains/gcc.py
+++ b/tools/toolchains/gcc.py
@@ -165,11 +165,14 @@ class GCC(mbedToolchain):
         dep_path = base + '.d'
         return ["-MD", "-MF", dep_path]
 
+    def get_config_option(self, config_header):
+        return ['-include', config_header]
+
     def get_compile_options(self, defines, includes):
         opts = ['-D%s' % d for d in defines] + ['@%s' % self.get_inc_file(includes)]
         config_header = self.get_config_header()
         if config_header is not None:
-            opts = opts + ['-include', config_header]
+            opts = opts + self.get_conifg_option(config_header)
         return opts
 
     @hook_tool
diff --git a/tools/toolchains/iar.py b/tools/toolchains/iar.py
index 605a13350b..a5538b1a01 100644
--- a/tools/toolchains/iar.py
+++ b/tools/toolchains/iar.py
@@ -126,8 +126,12 @@ class IAR(mbedToolchain):
         base, _ = splitext(object)
         return ["-l", base + '.s.txt']
 
+    def get_config_option(self, config_header):
+        return ['--preinclude', config_header]
+
     def get_compile_options(self, defines, includes, for_asm=False):
-        opts = ['-D%s' % d for d in defines] + ['-f', self.get_inc_file(includes)]
+        opts = ['-f', self.get_inc_file(includes)]
+        config_header = self.get_config_header()
         if for_asm:
             # The assembler doesn't support '--preinclude', so we need to add
             # the macros directly
@@ -135,7 +139,7 @@ class IAR(mbedToolchain):
         else:
             config_header = self.get_config_header()
             if config_header is not None:
-                opts = opts + ['--preinclude', config_header]
+                opts = opts + self.get_config_option(config_header)
         return opts
 
     @hook_tool