diff --git a/utils/mapnik-config/SConscript b/utils/mapnik-config/SConscript
index 8081c1152..78a92e973 100644
--- a/utils/mapnik-config/SConscript
+++ b/utils/mapnik-config/SConscript
@@ -53,9 +53,9 @@ def write_config(configuration,template,config_file):
 
 
 # todo - refine this list
-cpp_paths = ''.join([' -I%s' % i for i in config_env['CPPPATH'] if not i.startswith('#')])
+other_includes = ''.join([' -I%s' % i for i in config_env['CPPPATH'] if not i.startswith('#')])
 
-other_includes = config_env['LIBMAPNIK_CXXFLAGS'] + cpp_paths
+other_includes += ' '.join(config_env['LIBMAPNIK_CXXFLAGS'])
 
 ldflags = config_env['CUSTOM_LDFLAGS'] + ''.join([' -L%s' % i for i in config_env['LIBPATH'] if not i.startswith('#')])