diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 9b3275438..215ac59aa 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -321,7 +321,7 @@ case $host_os in
 		AC_DEFINE([OS_COMPILED], [7], [macOS])
 		;;
 	* )
-		AC_DEFINE([OS_COMPILED], [8], [Other Operating System])
+		AC_DEFINE([OS_COMPILED], [0], [Other Operating System])
 		;;
 esac
 
diff --git a/examples/utf-8/стекло/os_compiled.sp b/examples/utf-8/стекло/os_compiled.sp
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..dec8ddcfa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/utf-8/стекло/os_compiled.sp
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+*ng_script test for oscompiled
+
+.control
+if $oscompiled = 0
+  echo [0], Other
+endif
+if $oscompiled = 1
+  echo [1], MINGW for MS Windows
+endif
+if $oscompiled = 2
+  echo [2], Cygwin for MS Windows
+endif
+if $oscompiled = 3
+  echo [3], FreeBSD
+endif
+if $oscompiled = 4
+  echo [4], OpenBSD
+endif
+if $oscompiled = 5
+  echo [5], Solaris
+endif
+if $oscompiled = 6
+  echo [6], Linux
+endif
+if $oscompiled = 7
+  echo [7], macOS
+endif
+if $oscompiled = 8
+  echo [8], Visual Studio for MS Windows 
+endif
+
+.endc
+
+.end
diff --git a/src/frontend/init.c b/src/frontend/init.c
index 5e963e585..fe494a34d 100644
--- a/src/frontend/init.c
+++ b/src/frontend/init.c
@@ -30,4 +30,41 @@ cp_init(void)
     /* io redirection in streams.c:
        cp_in set to cp_curin etc. */
     cp_ioreset();
+
+    /*set a variable oscompiled containing the OS at compile time
+         [0], Other
+         [1], MINGW for MS Windows
+		 [2], Cygwin for MS Windows
+         [3], FreeBSD
+	     [4], OpenBSD
+		 [5], Solaris
+         [6], Linux
+         [7], macOS
+         [8], Visual Studio for MS Windows
+     The variable may be used in a .control section to perform OS
+     specific actions (setting fonts etc.).
+     */
+    int itmp;
+#if OS_COMPILED == 1
+    itmp = 1;
+#elif OS_COMPILED == 2
+    itmp = 2;
+#elif OS_COMPILED == 3
+    itmp = 3;
+#elif OS_COMPILED == 4
+    itmp = 4;
+#elif OS_COMPILED == 5
+    itmp = 5;
+#elif OS_COMPILED == 6
+    itmp = 6;
+#elif OS_COMPILED == 7
+    itmp = 7;
+#else
+    itmp = 0;
+#endif
+    /* not using configure.ac */
+#ifdef _MSC_VER
+    itmp = 8;
+#endif
+    cp_vset("oscompiled", CP_NUM, &itmp);
 }