diff --git a/Cantera/python/Makefile.in b/Cantera/python/Makefile.in
index ff6fc1535..e7382f749 100755
--- a/Cantera/python/Makefile.in
+++ b/Cantera/python/Makefile.in
@@ -43,9 +43,14 @@ all: _build
 
 win: _winbuild
 
-_build: $(SRCS) $(LIB_DEPS) Makefile
+#
+# HKM -> Python seems to want to compile C++ code with the CC compiler.
+#        The fix is to assign the CC compiler to the CXX compiler. 
+#        the double quotes are needed if the CXX variable is multi-token.
+#
+_build: $(SRCS) $(LIB_DEPS) Makefile setup.py
 	touch src/pycantera.cpp 
-	(CXX="@CXX@"; export CXX; CC="@CC@"; export CC; @PYTHON_CMD@ setup.py build)
+	(CXX="@CXX@"; export CXX; CC="@CXX@"; export CC; @PYTHON_CMD@ setup.py build)
 	echo 'ok' > _build
 
 #
diff --git a/Cantera/python/ctml_writer.py b/Cantera/python/ctml_writer.py
index 69a05334c..ef38bffe9 100644
--- a/Cantera/python/ctml_writer.py
+++ b/Cantera/python/ctml_writer.py
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+#!/usr/local/bin/python
 """
  Cantera .cti input file processor
 
diff --git a/Cantera/python/setup.py.in b/Cantera/python/setup.py.in
index f7adba2fb..16a01ee6e 100644
--- a/Cantera/python/setup.py.in
+++ b/Cantera/python/setup.py.in
@@ -36,14 +36,23 @@ libdir = ['@buildlib@']
 for d in dirlist:
     libdir.append(d)
 
+endlibstr1 = "@LCXX_END_LIBS@"
+endlib1 = endlibstr1.replace('-l', ' ')
+endlib = endlib1.split()
+
 if platform == "win32":
     libs = ["clib", "zeroD","oneD","transport",
             "cantera","recipes"] + bllist + cvlist + ["ctmath", "tpx", "converters"]
 else:
     
     libs = ["clib", "zeroD","oneD","transport",
-            "cantera", "converters"] + bllist + cvlist + ["ctmath", "tpx",
-                                             "stdc++", "ctf2c", "m"]
+            "cantera", "converters"] + bllist + cvlist + ["ctmath", "tpx"]
+                                          
+    if @build_with_f2c@ == 1:
+         libs.append("ctf2c")
+    for d in endlib:
+          libs.append(d) 
+
 
 # values:
 #  0   do nothing