diff --git a/syntax_checkers/erlang.vim b/syntax_checkers/erlang.vim
index d7dceaef..d9c8e20f 100644
--- a/syntax_checkers/erlang.vim
+++ b/syntax_checkers/erlang.vim
@@ -15,11 +15,16 @@ endif
 let loaded_erlang_syntax_checker = 1
 
 "bail if the user doesnt have escript installed
-if !executable("escript")
+if !executable("erl")
     finish
 endif
 
-let s:check_file = expand('<sfile>:p:h') . '/erlang_check_file.erl'
+"g:syntastic_erlc_attrs currently need to set in .vimrc
+"TODO: make g:syntastic_erlc_attrs project specific
+if !exists("g:syntastic_erlc_attrs")
+    let g:syntastic_erlc_attrs=""
+endif
+let s:check_file = expand('<sfile>:p:h') . '/erlang_check_file "'.g:syntastic_erlc_attrs.'"'
 
 function! SyntaxCheckers_erlang_GetLocList()
     let extension = expand('%:e')
diff --git a/syntax_checkers/erlang_check_file b/syntax_checkers/erlang_check_file
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..ecc632de
--- /dev/null
+++ b/syntax_checkers/erlang_check_file
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+INCLUDE_DIR=" -pa `dirname ${2}`/../include "
+erl ${1} ${INCLUDE_DIR} -compile ${2}
diff --git a/syntax_checkers/erlang_check_file.erl b/syntax_checkers/erlang_check_file.erl
deleted file mode 100755
index 8a85bf61..00000000
--- a/syntax_checkers/erlang_check_file.erl
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,12 +0,0 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env escript
--export([main/1]).
-
-main([FileName]) ->
-    compile:file(FileName, [warn_obsolete_guard,
-                            warn_unused_import,
-                            warn_shadow_vars,
-                            warn_export_vars,
-                            strong_validation,
-                            report,
-                            {i, filename:dirname(FileName) ++ "/../include"}
-                        ]).