diff --git a/tests/unit_tests/cpu/tools/test_tools_utils.py b/tests/unit_tests/cpu/tools/test_tools_utils.py
index 678a751f742..09a4b8ef6ae 100644
--- a/tests/unit_tests/cpu/tools/test_tools_utils.py
+++ b/tests/unit_tests/cpu/tools/test_tools_utils.py
@@ -10,7 +10,11 @@
 import torch
 
 from torchtitan.tools.garbage_collector import GarbageCollector
-from torchtitan.tools.utils import get_cuda_flash_attention_impl, get_local_device
+from torchtitan.tools.utils import (
+    _configure_compile_backend,
+    get_cuda_flash_attention_impl,
+    get_local_device,
+)
 
 
 class _FakeDeviceModule:
@@ -21,6 +25,20 @@ def device_count(self) -> int:
         return self.num_devices
 
 
+def test_configure_compile_backend(monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch) -> None:
+    set_default_backend = Mock()
+    monkeypatch.setenv("TORCHTITAN_COMPILE_BACKEND", "custom_device_backend")
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        torch.compiler,
+        "set_default_backend",
+        set_default_backend,
+    )
+
+    _configure_compile_backend()
+
+    set_default_backend.assert_called_once_with("custom_device_backend")
+
+
 def test_gc_debug_collects_once_per_step(monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch) -> None:
     gc_collect = Mock()
     monkeypatch.setattr("torchtitan.tools.garbage_collector.gc.collect", gc_collect)
diff --git a/torchtitan/tools/utils.py b/torchtitan/tools/utils.py
index 5e1810eddc9..eb59202076d 100644
--- a/torchtitan/tools/utils.py
+++ b/torchtitan/tools/utils.py
@@ -66,7 +66,14 @@ def get_device_info() -> tuple[str, ModuleType]:
     return device_type, device_module
 
 
+def _configure_compile_backend() -> None:
+    """Configure the default ``torch.compile`` backend from the environment."""
+    if backend := os.environ.get("TORCHTITAN_COMPILE_BACKEND"):
+        torch.compiler.set_default_backend(backend)
+
+
 device_type, device_module = get_device_info()
+_configure_compile_backend()
 
 
 def get_local_device() -> torch.device: