diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index dae8fc7..1e5c274 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -44,14 +44,12 @@
 # system attached to an external programmer while the default programmer is set to the internal programmer, and
 # you forget to use the -p parameter. This would (try to) overwrite the existing firmware of the computer
 # running flashrom). Please do not enable this without thinking about the possible consequences. Possible
-# values are those specified in enum programmer in programmer.h (which depend on other CONFIG_* options
-# evaluated below, namely those that enable/disable the various programmers).
-# Compilation will fail for unspecified values.
-CONFIG_DEFAULT_PROGRAMMER ?= PROGRAMMER_INVALID
+# values can be found when running 'flashrom --list-supported' under the 'Supported programmers' section.
+CONFIG_DEFAULT_PROGRAMMER_NAME ?=
 # The following adds a default parameter for the default programmer set above (only).
-CONFIG_DEFAULT_PROGRAMMER_ARGS ?= ''
+CONFIG_DEFAULT_PROGRAMMER_ARGS ?=
 # Example: compiling with
-#   make CONFIG_DEFAULT_PROGRAMMER=PROGRAMMER_SERPROG CONFIG_DEFAULT_PROGRAMMER_ARGS="dev=/dev/ttyUSB0:1500000"
+#   make CONFIG_DEFAULT_PROGRAMMER_NAME=serprog CONFIG_DEFAULT_PROGRAMMER_ARGS="dev=/dev/ttyUSB0:1500000"
 # would make executing './flashrom' (almost) equivialent to './flashrom -p serprog:dev=/dev/ttyUSB0:1500000'.
 
 # If your compiler spits out excessive warnings, run make WARNERROR=no
@@ -798,7 +796,12 @@
 # Programmer drivers and programmer support infrastructure.
 # Depending on the CONFIG_* variables set and verified above we set compiler flags and parameters below.
 
-FEATURE_CFLAGS += -D'CONFIG_DEFAULT_PROGRAMMER=$(CONFIG_DEFAULT_PROGRAMMER)'
+ifdef CONFIG_DEFAULT_PROGRAMMER_NAME
+FEATURE_CFLAGS += -D'CONFIG_DEFAULT_PROGRAMMER_NAME=&programmer_$(CONFIG_DEFAULT_PROGRAMMER_NAME)'
+else
+FEATURE_CFLAGS += -D'CONFIG_DEFAULT_PROGRAMMER_NAME=NULL'
+endif
+
 FEATURE_CFLAGS += -D'CONFIG_DEFAULT_PROGRAMMER_ARGS="$(CONFIG_DEFAULT_PROGRAMMER_ARGS)"'
 
 ifeq ($(CONFIG_INTERNAL), yes)
diff --git a/cli_classic.c b/cli_classic.c
index f20166c..be2f86c 100644
--- a/cli_classic.c
+++ b/cli_classic.c
@@ -121,7 +121,6 @@
 	int read_it = 0, write_it = 0, erase_it = 0, verify_it = 0;
 	int dont_verify_it = 0, dont_verify_all = 0, list_supported = 0, operation_specified = 0;
 	struct flashrom_layout *layout = NULL;
-	// enum programmer prog = PROGRAMMER_INVALID;
 	static const struct programmer_entry *prog = NULL;
 	enum {
 		OPTION_IFD = 0x0100,
@@ -440,12 +439,14 @@
 	}
 
 	if (prog == NULL) {
-		if (CONFIG_DEFAULT_PROGRAMMER != PROGRAMMER_INVALID) {
-			prog = programmer_table[CONFIG_DEFAULT_PROGRAMMER];
+		const struct programmer_entry *const default_programmer = CONFIG_DEFAULT_PROGRAMMER_NAME;
+
+		if (default_programmer) {
+			prog = default_programmer;
 			/* We need to strdup here because we free(pparam) unconditionally later. */
 			pparam = strdup(CONFIG_DEFAULT_PROGRAMMER_ARGS);
 			msg_pinfo("Using default programmer \"%s\" with arguments \"%s\".\n",
-				  programmer_table[CONFIG_DEFAULT_PROGRAMMER]->name, pparam);
+				  default_programmer->name, pparam);
 		} else {
 			msg_perr("Please select a programmer with the --programmer parameter.\n"
 #if CONFIG_INTERNAL == 1
diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 580dc53..9d35cc4 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -62,6 +62,8 @@
 config_serprog = get_option('config_serprog')
 config_usbblaster_spi = get_option('config_usbblaster_spi')
 config_stlinkv3_spi = get_option('config_stlinkv3_spi')
+config_default_programmer_name = get_option('default_programmer_name')
+config_default_programmer_args = get_option('default_programmer_args')
 
 cargs = []
 deps = []
@@ -381,6 +383,14 @@
   dependencies : deps
 )
 
+if config_default_programmer_name != ''
+  cargs += '-DCONFIG_DEFAULT_PROGRAMMER_NAME=&programmer_' + config_default_programmer_name
+else
+  cargs += '-DCONFIG_DEFAULT_PROGRAMMER_NAME=NULL'
+endif
+
+cargs += '-DCONFIG_DEFAULT_PROGRAMMER_ARGS="' + config_default_programmer_args + '"'
+
 # we can't just link_with libflashrom as we require all the internal symbols...
 executable(
   'flashrom',
@@ -397,8 +407,6 @@
   c_args : [
     cargs,
     '-DSTANDALONE',
-    '-DCONFIG_DEFAULT_PROGRAMMER=PROGRAMMER_INVALID',
-    '-DCONFIG_DEFAULT_PROGRAMMER_ARGS=""',
   ],
   install : true,
   install_dir : sbindir,
diff --git a/meson_options.txt b/meson_options.txt
index ea87311..6fc8352 100644
--- a/meson_options.txt
+++ b/meson_options.txt
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 option('pciutils', type : 'boolean', value : true, description : 'use pciutils')
 option('usb', type : 'boolean', value : true, description : 'use libusb1')
+option('default_programmer_name', type : 'string', description : 'default programmer')
+option('default_programmer_args', type : 'string', description : 'default programmer arguments')
 
 option('config_atahpt', type : 'boolean', value : false, description : 'Highpoint (HPT) ATA/RAID controllers')
 option('config_atapromise', type : 'boolean', value : false, description : 'Promise ATA controller')