diff --git a/autoload/syntastic/makeprg.vim b/autoload/syntastic/makeprg.vim
index 571d9222..b3a0f693 100644
--- a/autoload/syntastic/makeprg.vim
+++ b/autoload/syntastic/makeprg.vim
@@ -3,60 +3,101 @@ if exists("g:loaded_syntastic_makeprg_autoload")
 endif
 let g:loaded_syntastic_makeprg_autoload = 1
 
+"Returns a makeprg of the form
+"
+"[exe] [args] [filename] [post_args] [tail]
+"
+"A (made up) example:
+"    ruby -a -b -c test_file.rb --more --args > /tmp/output
+"
+"To generate this you would call:
+"
+"    let makeprg = syntastic#makeprg#build({
+"                \ 'exe': 'ruby',
+"                \ 'args': '-a -b -c',
+"                \ 'post_args': '--more --args',
+"                \ 'tail': '> /tmp/output',
+"                \ 'subchecker': 'mri' })
+"
+"Note that the current filename is added by default - but can be overridden by
+"passing in an 'fname' arg.
+"
+"All options can be overriden by the user with global variables - even when
+"not specified by the checker in syntastic#makeprg#build().
+"
+"E.g. They could override the checker exe with
+"
+"   let g:syntastic_ruby_mri_exe="another_ruby_checker_exe.rb"
+"
+"The general form of the override option is:
+"   syntastic_[filetype]_[subchecker]_[option-name]
+"
 function! syntastic#makeprg#build(opts)
-    let opts = copy(a:opts)
+    let builder = s:MakeprgBuilder.New(
+                \ get(a:opts, 'exe', ''),
+                \ get(a:opts, 'args', ''),
+                \ get(a:opts, 'fname', ''),
+                \ get(a:opts, 'post_args', ''),
+                \ get(a:opts, 'tail', ''),
+                \ get(a:opts, 'subchecker', '') )
 
-    if !has_key(opts, 'args')
-        let opts['args'] = ''
-    endif
-
-    if !has_key(opts, 'subchecker')
-        let opts['subchecker'] = ''
-    endif
-
-    let builder = s:MakeprgBuilder.New(opts['exe'], opts['args'], opts['subchecker'])
     return builder.makeprg()
 endfunction
 
 let s:MakeprgBuilder = {}
 
-function! s:MakeprgBuilder.New(exe, args, subchecker)
+function! s:MakeprgBuilder.New(exe, args, fname, post_args, tail, subchecker)
     let newObj = copy(self)
     let newObj._exe = a:exe
     let newObj._args = a:args
+    let newObj._fname = a:fname
+    let newObj._post_args = a:post_args
+    let newObj._tail = a:tail
     let newObj._subchecker = a:subchecker
     return newObj
 endfunction
 
 function! s:MakeprgBuilder.makeprg()
-    return join([self.exe(), self.args(), self.fname()])
+    return join([self.exe(), self.args(), self.fname(), self.post_args(), self.tail()])
 endfunction
 
 function! s:MakeprgBuilder.exe()
-    if self.optExists('exe')
-        return {self.optName('exe')}
-    endif
-
-    return self._exe
+    return self._getOpt('exe')
 endfunction
 
 function! s:MakeprgBuilder.args()
-    if exists('g:syntastic_' . &ft . '_args')
-        return g:syntastic_{&ft}_args
-    endif
-
-    return self._args
+    return self._getOpt('args')
 endfunction
 
 function! s:MakeprgBuilder.fname()
-    return shellescape(expand("%"))
+    if empty(self._fname)
+        return  shellescape(expand("%"))
+    else
+        return self._fname
+    endif
 endfunction
 
-function! s:MakeprgBuilder.optExists(name)
-    return exists(self.optName(a:name))
+function! s:MakeprgBuilder.post_args()
+    return self._getOpt('post_args')
 endfunction
 
-function! s:MakeprgBuilder.optName(name)
+function! s:MakeprgBuilder.tail()
+    return self._getOpt('tail')
+endfunction
+
+function s:MakeprgBuilder._getOpt(name)
+    if self._optExists(a:name)
+        return {self._optName(a:name)}
+    endif
+
+    return self['_' . a:name]
+endfunction
+
+function! s:MakeprgBuilder._optExists(name)
+    return exists(self._optName(a:name))
+endfunction
+
+function! s:MakeprgBuilder._optName(name)
     let setting = "g:syntastic_" . &ft
     if !empty(self._subchecker)
         let setting .= '_' . self._subchecker
diff --git a/syntax_checkers/dart/dart_analyzer.vim b/syntax_checkers/dart/dart_analyzer.vim
index ce51fddc..d78be395 100644
--- a/syntax_checkers/dart/dart_analyzer.vim
+++ b/syntax_checkers/dart/dart_analyzer.vim
@@ -16,8 +16,8 @@ function! SyntaxCheckers_dart_GetLocList()
     let args = !empty(g:syntastic_dart_analyzer_conf) ? ' ' . g:syntastic_dart_analyzer_conf : ''
     let makeprg = syntastic#makeprg#build({
                 \ 'exe': 'dart_analyzer',
+                \ 'post_args': args,
                 \ 'subchecker': 'dart_analyser' })
-    let makeprg .= ' ' . args
 
     let errorformat = '%Efile:%f:%l:%c: %m'
     return SyntasticMake({ 'makeprg': makeprg, 'errorformat': errorformat })
diff --git a/syntax_checkers/go/gofmt.vim b/syntax_checkers/go/gofmt.vim
index 3a823dc9..4b777659 100644
--- a/syntax_checkers/go/gofmt.vim
+++ b/syntax_checkers/go/gofmt.vim
@@ -16,8 +16,8 @@ function! SyntaxCheckers_go_GetLocList()
     let makeprg = syntastic#makeprg#build({
                 \ 'exe': 'gofmt',
                 \ 'args': '-l',
+                \ 'tail': '1>' . syntastic#util#DevNull(),
                 \ 'subchecker': 'gofmt' })
-    let makeprg .= ' 1>/dev/null'
     let errorformat = '%f:%l:%c: %m,%-G%.%#'
     return SyntasticMake({ 'makeprg': makeprg, 'errorformat': errorformat, 'defaults': {'type': 'e'} })
 endfunction
diff --git a/syntax_checkers/html/tidy.vim b/syntax_checkers/html/tidy.vim
index 960f1029..1e8b2e38 100644
--- a/syntax_checkers/html/tidy.vim
+++ b/syntax_checkers/html/tidy.vim
@@ -61,8 +61,8 @@ function! SyntaxCheckers_html_GetLocList()
     let makeprg = syntastic#makeprg#build({
                 \ 'exe': 'tidy',
                 \ 'args': s:Args(),
+                \ 'tail': '2>&1',
                 \ 'subchecker': 'tidy' })
-    let makeprg .= " 2>&1"
     let errorformat='%Wline %l column %c - Warning: %m,%Eline %l column %c - Error: %m,%-G%.%#,%-G%.%#'
 
     let loclist = SyntasticMake({ 'makeprg': makeprg, 'errorformat': errorformat })
diff --git a/syntax_checkers/java/checkstyle.vim b/syntax_checkers/java/checkstyle.vim
index e4bdd6e7..ddca0cec 100644
--- a/syntax_checkers/java/checkstyle.vim
+++ b/syntax_checkers/java/checkstyle.vim
@@ -17,13 +17,13 @@ endif
 if !exists("g:syntastic_java_checkstyle_conf_file")
     let g:syntastic_java_checkstyle_conf_file = 'sun_checks.xml'
 endif
-
 function! SyntaxCheckers_java_GetLocList()
-
-    let makeprg = 'java -cp ' . g:syntastic_java_checkstyle_classpath . ' com.puppycrawl.tools.checkstyle.Main -c '
-               \. g:syntastic_java_checkstyle_conf_file . ' '
-               \. expand ( '%:p:h' ) . '/' . expand ( '%:t' )
-               \. ' 2>&1 '
+    let makeprg = syntastic#makeprg#build({
+                \ 'exe': 'java',
+                \ 'args': '-cp ' . g:syntastic_java_checkstyle_classpath . ' com.puppycrawl.tools.checkstyle.Main -c ' . g:syntastic_java_checkstyle_conf_file,
+                \ 'fname': expand ( '%:p:h' ) . '/' . expand ( '%:t' ),
+                \ 'tail': '2>&1',
+                \ 'subchecker': 'checkstyle' })
 
     " check style format
     let errorformat = '%f:%l:%c:\ %m,%f:%l:\ %m'
diff --git a/syntax_checkers/java/javac.vim b/syntax_checkers/java/javac.vim
index b341694d..46da8ce8 100644
--- a/syntax_checkers/java/javac.vim
+++ b/syntax_checkers/java/javac.vim
@@ -208,9 +208,12 @@ function! SyntaxCheckers_java_GetLocList()
         let sep = '/'
     endif
 
-    let makeprg = g:syntastic_java_javac_executable . ' '. javac_opts . ' '
-               \. fnameescape(expand ( '%:p:h' ) . sep . expand ( '%:t' ))
-               \. ' 2>&1 '
+    let makeprg = syntastic#makeprg#build({
+                \ 'exe': g:syntastic_java_javac_executable,
+                \ 'args': javac_opts,
+                \ 'fname': fnameescape(expand ( '%:p:h' ) . sep . expand ( '%:t' )),
+                \ 'tail': '2>&1',
+                \ 'subchecker': 'javac' })
 
     " unashamedly stolen from *errorformat-javac* (quickfix.txt) and modified to include error types
     let errorformat = '%E%f:%l:\ error:\ %m,%W%f:%l:\ warning:\ %m,%A%f:%l:\ %m,%+Z%p^,%+C%.%#,%-G%.%#'
diff --git a/syntax_checkers/javascript/closurecompiler.vim b/syntax_checkers/javascript/closurecompiler.vim
index 422a65fa..3e32846f 100644
--- a/syntax_checkers/javascript/closurecompiler.vim
+++ b/syntax_checkers/javascript/closurecompiler.vim
@@ -37,7 +37,12 @@ function! SyntaxCheckers_javascript_GetLocList()
         let file_list = shellescape(expand('%'))
     endif
 
-    let makeprg = 'java -jar ' . g:syntastic_javascript_closure_compiler_path . ' ' . g:syntastic_javascript_closure_compiler_options . ' --js ' . file_list
+    let makeprg = syntastic#makeprg#build({
+                \ 'exe': 'java -jar ' . g:syntastic_javascript_closure_compiler_path,
+                \ 'args': g:syntastic_javascript_closure_compiler_options . ' --js' ,
+                \ 'fname': file_list,
+                \ 'subchecker': 'closurecompiler' })
+
     let errorformat = '%-GOK,%E%f:%l: ERROR - %m,%Z%p^,%W%f:%l: WARNING - %m,%Z%p^'
     return SyntasticMake({ 'makeprg': makeprg, 'errorformat': errorformat })
 endfunction
diff --git a/syntax_checkers/javascript/jshint.vim b/syntax_checkers/javascript/jshint.vim
index 164b7bd4..600cb351 100644
--- a/syntax_checkers/javascript/jshint.vim
+++ b/syntax_checkers/javascript/jshint.vim
@@ -13,9 +13,16 @@ if !exists("g:syntastic_javascript_jshint_conf")
 endif
 
 function! SyntaxCheckers_javascript_GetLocList()
-    " node-jshint uses .jshintrc as config unless --config arg is present
-    let args = !empty(g:syntastic_javascript_jshint_conf) ? ' --config ' . g:syntastic_javascript_jshint_conf : ''
-    let makeprg = 'jshint ' . shellescape(expand("%")) . args
+    let makeprg = syntastic#makeprg#build({
+                \ 'exe': 'jshint',
+                \ 'post_args': s:Args(),
+                \ 'subchecker': 'jshint' })
+
     let errorformat = '%ELine %l:%c,%Z\\s%#Reason: %m,%C%.%#,%f: line %l\, col %c\, %m,%-G%.%#'
     return SyntasticMake({ 'makeprg': makeprg, 'errorformat': errorformat, 'defaults': {'bufnr': bufnr('')} })
 endfunction
+
+function s:Args()
+    " node-jshint uses .jshintrc as config unless --config arg is present
+    return !empty(g:syntastic_javascript_jshint_conf) ? ' --config ' . g:syntastic_javascript_jshint_conf : ''
+endfunction
diff --git a/syntax_checkers/json/jsonlint.vim b/syntax_checkers/json/jsonlint.vim
index 6e4a4c0a..6b697486 100644
--- a/syntax_checkers/json/jsonlint.vim
+++ b/syntax_checkers/json/jsonlint.vim
@@ -10,7 +10,10 @@
 "============================================================================
 
 function! SyntaxCheckers_json_GetLocList()
-    let makeprg = 'jsonlint ' . shellescape(expand("%")) . ' --compact'
+    let makeprg = syntastic#makeprg#build({
+                \ 'exe': 'jsonlint',
+                \ 'post_args': '--compact',
+                \ 'subchecker': 'jsonlint' })
     let errorformat = '%ELine %l:%c,%Z\\s%#Reason: %m,%C%.%#,%f: line %l\, col %c\, %m,%-G%.%#'
     return SyntasticMake({ 'makeprg': makeprg, 'errorformat': errorformat, 'defaults': {'bufnr': bufnr('')} })
 endfunction
diff --git a/syntax_checkers/less.vim b/syntax_checkers/less.vim
index 0aaf0b38..9747cfed 100644
--- a/syntax_checkers/less.vim
+++ b/syntax_checkers/less.vim
@@ -39,8 +39,8 @@ end
 function! SyntaxCheckers_less_GetLocList()
     let makeprg = syntastic#makeprg#build({
                 \ 'exe': s:check_file,
-                \ 'args': g:syntastic_less_options })
-    let makeprg .= syntastic#util#DevNull()
+                \ 'args': g:syntastic_less_options,
+                \ 'tail': syntastic#util#DevNull() })
     let errorformat = '%m in %f:%l:%c'
 
     return SyntasticMake({ 'makeprg': makeprg,
diff --git a/syntax_checkers/lisp.vim b/syntax_checkers/lisp.vim
index 6c6c1b30..a7e826ee 100644
--- a/syntax_checkers/lisp.vim
+++ b/syntax_checkers/lisp.vim
@@ -16,8 +16,10 @@ if !executable("clisp")
 endif
 
 function! SyntaxCheckers_lisp_GetLocList()
-    let makeprg = syntastic#makeprg#build({ 'exe': 'clisp', 'args': '-c' })
-    let makeprg .= ' -o /tmp/clisp-vim-compiled-file'
+    let makeprg = syntastic#makeprg#build({
+                \ 'exe': 'clisp',
+                \ 'args': '-c'
+                \ 'tail': '-o /tmp/clisp-vim-compiled-file' })
     let efm  = '%-G;%.%#,'
     let efm .= '%W%>WARNING:%.%#line %l : %m,%C  %#%m,'
     let efm .= '%E%>The following functions were %m,%Z %m,'
diff --git a/syntax_checkers/python/pylint.vim b/syntax_checkers/python/pylint.vim
index 3ede2154..62dc541a 100644
--- a/syntax_checkers/python/pylint.vim
+++ b/syntax_checkers/python/pylint.vim
@@ -8,10 +8,15 @@ function! SyntaxCheckers_python_GetLocList()
     let makeprg = syntastic#makeprg#build({
                 \ 'exe': 'pylint',
                 \ 'args': g:syntastic_python_checker_args. ' -f parseable -r n -i y',
+                \ 'tail': s:MakeprgTail(),
                 \ 'subchecker': 'pylint' })
-    let makeprg .= ' 2>&1 \| sed ''s_: \[\([RCW]\)_: \[W] \[\1_''' .
-                 \ ' \| sed ''s_: \[\([FE]\)_:\ \[E] \[\1_'''
     let errorformat = '%f:%l: [%t] %m,%Z,%-GNo config %m'
 
     return SyntasticMake({ 'makeprg': makeprg, 'errorformat': errorformat })
 endfunction
+
+function! s:MakeprgTail()
+    return ' 2>&1 \| sed ''s_: \[\([RCW]\)_: \[W] \[\1_''' .
+         \ ' \| sed ''s_: \[\([FE]\)_:\ \[E] \[\1_'''
+
+endfunction
diff --git a/syntax_checkers/rst.vim b/syntax_checkers/rst.vim
index bbf14cc8..0ea723b7 100644
--- a/syntax_checkers/rst.vim
+++ b/syntax_checkers/rst.vim
@@ -21,9 +21,8 @@ endif
 function! SyntaxCheckers_rst_GetLocList()
     let makeprg = syntastic#makeprg#build({
                 \ 'exe': 'rst2pseudoxml.py',
-                \ 'args': '--report=2 --exit-status=1' })
-
-    let makeprg .= syntastic#util#DevNull()
+                \ 'args': '--report=2 --exit-status=1',
+                \ 'tail': syntastic#util#DevNull() })
 
     let errorformat = '%f:%l:\ (%tNFO/1)\ %m,
       \%f:%l:\ (%tARNING/2)\ %m,
diff --git a/syntax_checkers/tcl/nagelfar.vim b/syntax_checkers/tcl/nagelfar.vim
index 8228309e..3e84708e 100644
--- a/syntax_checkers/tcl/nagelfar.vim
+++ b/syntax_checkers/tcl/nagelfar.vim
@@ -12,8 +12,10 @@
 "
 "============================================================================
 function! SyntaxCheckers_tcl_GetLocList()
-    let makeprg = "nagelfar -H " . g:syntastic_tcl_nagelfar_conf . " " . shellescape(expand('%'))
-
+    let makeprg = syntastic#makeprg#build({
+                \ 'exe': 'nagelfar',
+                \ 'args': '-H ' . g:syntastic_tcl_nagelfar_conf,
+                \ 'subchecker': 'nagelfar' })
     let errorformat='%I%f: %l: N %m, %f: %l: %t %m, %-GChecking file %f'
 
     return SyntasticMake({ 'makeprg': makeprg, 'errorformat': errorformat })
diff --git a/syntax_checkers/tcl/tclsh.vim b/syntax_checkers/tcl/tclsh.vim
index 825a470e..69dd4a4e 100644
--- a/syntax_checkers/tcl/tclsh.vim
+++ b/syntax_checkers/tcl/tclsh.vim
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ if !executable("tclsh")
 endif
 
 function! SyntaxCheckers_tclsh_GetLocList()
-    let makeprg = 'tclsh '.shellescape(expand('%'))
+    let makeprg = syntastic#makeprg#build({'exe': 'tclsh'})
     let errorformat = '%f:%l:%m'
 
     return SyntasticMake({ 'makeprg': makeprg, 'errorformat': errorformat })
diff --git a/syntax_checkers/typescript.vim b/syntax_checkers/typescript.vim
index 2eafd346..61e86e9f 100644
--- a/syntax_checkers/typescript.vim
+++ b/syntax_checkers/typescript.vim
@@ -10,8 +10,9 @@ if !executable("tsc")
 endif
 
 function! SyntaxCheckers_typescript_GetLocList()
-    let makeprg = syntastic#makeprg#build({ 'exe': 'tsc' })
-    let makeprg .= ' --out ' . syntastic#util#DevNull()
+    let makeprg = syntastic#makeprg#build({
+                \ 'exe': 'tsc',
+                \ 'post_args': '--out ' . syntastic#util#DevNull() })
     let errorformat = '%f %#(%l\,%c): %m'
     return SyntasticMake({ 'makeprg': makeprg, 'errorformat': errorformat })
 endfunction