diff --git a/python/setup.py.in b/python/setup.py.in
index 8d7a975b4..c5f54e8c3 100644
--- a/python/setup.py.in
+++ b/python/setup.py.in
@@ -9,6 +9,15 @@ import glob
 import os
 import re
 import subprocess
+
+class custom_build_ext(build_ext):
+    def build_extensions(self):
+        # Make sure that ccache is not in self.compiler.compiler_cxx
+        # as self.compiler.compiler_cxx[0] will be used as
+        # linker command for c++ and that should not be ccache
+        self.compiler.compiler_cxx[0]="@CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER@"
+        build_ext.build_extensions(self)
+
 try:
     from importlib.machinery import EXTENSION_SUFFIXES
     suffix = EXTENSION_SUFFIXES[0]
@@ -19,13 +28,16 @@ setupdir = os.path.dirname(__file__)
 if setupdir != '':
   os.chdir( setupdir )
 
-cc = "@CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER@"
+cc = "@CMAKE_C_COMPILER@"
+cxx = "@CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER@"
 try:
     subprocess.call(['ccache', '--version'])
     os.environ['CC'] = 'ccache {}'.format(cc)
+    os.environ['CXX'] = 'ccache {}'.format(cxx)
     print("Using 'ccache {}' as compiler".format(cc))
 except OSError as e:
     os.environ['CC'] = cc
+    os.environ['CXX'] = cxx
     print('\nNOTE: please install ccache for faster compilation of python bindings.\n')
 
 # This is very hacky but so is the entire setup.py buildsystem.
@@ -108,4 +120,5 @@ setup(
         "Programming Language :: Python :: 3",
         "License :: OSI Approved :: GNU General Public License v3 (GPLv3)",
     ],
+    cmdclass={"build_ext": custom_build_ext},
 )