diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index c05e9482a..f0eba2351 100755
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -163,7 +163,7 @@ def get_cython_sources(use_cython):
         fd.write('%s = %d\n' % (k, int(v)))
 
 
-cythonize_opts = {}
+cythonize_opts = {'language_level': '2'}
 if os.environ.get("CYTHON_TRACE"):
     cythonize_opts['linetrace'] = True
     cython_macros.append(("CYTHON_TRACE_NOGIL", 1))