diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 2e79e3b7e..70e003bfc 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -24,18 +24,27 @@ from distutils.core import setup, Extension
 ## Modify the build arguments
 from distutils import sysconfig
 
+pythonVersion = platform.python_version()[0:3]
+
 removals = ['-g', '-DNDEBUG', '-O2', '-Wstrict-prototypes']
 additions = ['-DNDEBUG', '-O2']
 
-cv_opt = sysconfig.get_config_vars()["CFLAGS"]
-for removal in removals:
-	cv_opt = cv_opt.replace(removal, " ")
-for addition in additions:
-	cv_opt = cv_opt + " " + addition
-sysconfig.get_config_vars()["CFLAGS"] = ' '.join(cv_opt.split())
+if pythonVersion == '2.4':
+	cv_opt = sysconfig.get_config_vars()["CFLAGS"]
+	for removal in removals:
+		cv_opt = cv_opt.replace(removal, " ")
+	for addition in additions:
+		cv_opt = cv_opt + " " + addition
+	sysconfig.get_config_vars()["CFLAGS"] = ' '.join(cv_opt.split())
+else:
+	cv_opt = sysconfig.get_config_vars()["OPT"]
+	for removal in removals:
+		cv_opt = cv_opt.replace(removal, " ")
+	for addition in additions:
+		cv_opt = cv_opt + " " + addition
+	sysconfig.get_config_vars()["OPT"] = ' '.join(cv_opt.split())
 
 
-pythonVersion = platform.python_version()[0:3]
 
 
 deluge_core = Extension('deluge_core',