diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index becd156c..b4878ccf 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -109,6 +109,7 @@ AH_VERBATIM([_REENTRANT],
 #endif])
 
 AC_PROG_CC
+AC_PROG_CPP
 AC_PROG_CXX
 
 # Note: A suitable gitlog-to-changelog script can be found in GnuPG master.
diff --git a/lang/python/Makefile.am b/lang/python/Makefile.am
index 3fa98b56..8d74cbd1 100644
--- a/lang/python/Makefile.am
+++ b/lang/python/Makefile.am
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ copystamp:
 
 all-local: copystamp
 	set -e ; for PYTHON in $(PYTHONS); do \
+	  CPP="$(CPP)" \
 	  CFLAGS="$(CFLAGS)" \
 	  srcdir="$(srcdir)" \
 	  top_builddir="$(top_builddir)" \
@@ -47,6 +48,7 @@ all-local: copystamp
 
 python$(PYTHON_VERSION)-gpg/dist/gpg-$(VERSION).tar.gz.asc: copystamp
 	$(MKDIR_P) python$(PYTHON_VERSION)-gpg-dist
+	CPP="$(CPP)" \
 	CFLAGS="$(CFLAGS)" \
 	srcdir="$(srcdir)" \
 	top_builddir="$(top_builddir)" \
@@ -80,6 +82,8 @@ clean-local:
 
 install-exec-local:
 	set -e ; for PYTHON in $(PYTHONS); do \
+	  CPP="$(CPP)" \
+	  CFLAGS="$(CFLAGS)" \
 	  srcdir="$(srcdir)" \
 	  top_builddir="$(top_builddir)" \
 	  $$PYTHON setup.py \