diff --git a/spec-debug-alone-rules.template b/spec-debug-alone-rules.template
index dcab5c83..ce621af6 100644
--- a/spec-debug-alone-rules.template
+++ b/spec-debug-alone-rules.template
@@ -11,8 +11,9 @@
 if [ -z "$GNUSTEP_SYSTEM_ROOT" ]; then
   . %{gs_root}/Makefiles/GNUstep.sh 
 fi
-# Argh - this doesn't work
-CFLAGS=$RPM_OPT_FLAGS 
+if [ "%{gs_configure}" = "YES" ]; then 
+  CFLAGS="$RPM_OPT_FLAGS" ./configure --prefix=%{gs_root}
+fi
 make debug=yes
 
 #
diff --git a/spec-rules.template b/spec-rules.template
index c44b46c7..5d19c304 100644
--- a/spec-rules.template
+++ b/spec-rules.template
@@ -12,7 +12,9 @@ if [ -z "$GNUSTEP_SYSTEM_ROOT" ]; then
   . %{gs_root}/Makefiles/GNUstep.sh 
 fi
 # Argh - this doesn't work
-CFLAGS=$RPM_OPT_FLAGS 
+if [ "%{gs_configure}" = "YES" ]; then 
+  CFLAGS="$RPM_OPT_FLAGS" ./configure --prefix=%{gs_root}
+fi
 make
 
 #