diff -Naur a/setup.py b/setup.py
--- a/setup.py	2017-01-12 19:08:44.000000000 -0500
+++ b/setup.py	2018-02-15 12:28:16.000000000 -0500
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@
 
     # extra compile args
     copt = {'msvc': ['/EHsc'],
-            'unix' : ['-ggdb'],
+            'unix' : ['-ggdb', '-x', 'c++'],
             'mingw32' : [],
            }
     # extra link args