diff --git a/tools/python/Makefile b/tools/python/Makefile
index 4918229df7..533d3dea41 100644
--- a/tools/python/Makefile
+++ b/tools/python/Makefile
@@ -11,11 +11,11 @@ build: genwrap.py $(XEN_ROOT)/tools/libxl/libxl_types.idl \
 		$(XEN_ROOT)/tools/libxl/libxl_types.idl \
 		xen/lowlevel/xl/_pyxl_types.h \
 		xen/lowlevel/xl/_pyxl_types.c
-	CC="$(CC)" CFLAGS="$(CFLAGS) $(APPEND_LDFLAGS)" $(PYTHON) setup.py build
+	CC="$(CC)" CFLAGS="$(CFLAGS) $(LDFLAGS) $(APPEND_LDFLAGS)" $(PYTHON) setup.py build
 
 .PHONY: install
 install:
-	CC="$(CC)" CFLAGS="$(CFLAGS) $(APPEND_LDFLAGS)" $(PYTHON) setup.py install \
+	CC="$(CC)" CFLAGS="$(CFLAGS) $(LDFLAGS) $(APPEND_LDFLAGS)" $(PYTHON) setup.py install \
 		$(PYTHON_PREFIX_ARG) --root="$(DESTDIR)" --force
 
 .PHONY: test