diff --git a/Cantera/python/SConscript b/Cantera/python/SConscript
index 8da8e51f0..89f0603e8 100644
--- a/Cantera/python/SConscript
+++ b/Cantera/python/SConscript
@@ -9,7 +9,8 @@ gcv = distutils.sysconfig.get_config_var
 
 localenv.Append(CPPPATH=[gcv('INCLUDEPY'), env['python_array_include']],
                 SHLINKFLAGS=gcv('LDFLAGS'),
-                CPPFLAGS=[gcv('BASECFLAGS'), gcv('OPT')])
+                CPPFLAGS=(gcv('BASECFLAGS').split() +
+                          gcv('OPT').split()))
 
 if localenv['OS'] == 'Windows':
     localenv.Append(LIBPATH=pjoin(gcv('prefix'), 'libs'))
diff --git a/SConstruct b/SConstruct
index 465d140f0..0a01db140 100644
--- a/SConstruct
+++ b/SConstruct
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ if os.name == 'nt':
         extraEnvArgs['TARGET_ARCH'] = 'x86'
 
 env = Environment(tools=['default', 'textfile', 'subst', 'recursiveInstall'],
+                  ENV={'PATH': os.environ['PATH']},
                   **extraEnvArgs)
 
 add_RegressionTest(env)
@@ -64,6 +65,18 @@ else:
     print "Error: Unrecognized operating system '%s'" % os.name
     sys.exit(1)
 
+opts = Variables('cantera.conf')
+opts.AddVariables(
+    ('CXX',
+     'The C++ compiler to use.',
+     env['CXX']),
+    ('CC',
+     """The C compiler to use. This is only used to compile CVODE and
+        the Python extension module.""",
+     env['CC']),
+    )
+opts.Update(env)
+
 if env['CC'] == 'gcc':
     defaults.cxxFlags = '-ftemplate-depth-128'
     defaults.ccFlags = '-Wall -g'
@@ -80,7 +93,13 @@ elif env['CC'] == 'cl': # Visual Studio
     defaults.debugLinkFlags = '/DEBUG'
     defaults.fPIC = ''
 else:
-    print "Error: Unrecognized C compiler '%s'" % env['CC']
+    print "Warning: Unrecognized C compiler '%s'" % env['CC']
+    defaults.cxxFlags = ''
+    defaults.ccFlags = ''
+    defaults.debugCcFlags = ''
+    defaults.releaseCcFlags = ''
+    defaults.debugLinkFlags = ''
+    defaults.fPIC = ''
 
 # **************************************
 # *** Read user-configurable options ***
@@ -566,6 +585,8 @@ if env['python_package'] in ('full','default'):
                    """ because the array package '%s' could not be found.""" % env['python_array'])
             warnNoPython = True
             env['python_package'] = 'minimal'
+else:
+    env['python_array_include'] = ''
 
 
 if env['matlab_toolbox'] == 'y' and which(env['matlab_cmd']) is None: