diff --git a/debian/rules b/debian/rules
index 86fe5c6c..fb2fb119 100755
--- a/debian/rules
+++ b/debian/rules
@@ -9,16 +9,16 @@ EXCLUDED_MODULES=conf_auth examples/db_announce fast_ack gateway ivr mailbox mp3
 EXCLUDED_DSM_MODULES=mod_aws mod_py
 EXCLUDED_DSM_PY_MODULES=mod_aws mod_py
 
-CPPFLAGS += -DHAVE_XMLRPCPP_SSL
-
-export USE_SPANDSP=yes LONG_DEBUG_MESSAGE=yes CPPFLAGS="$(CPPFLAGS)"
+export DEB_CPPFLAGS_APPEND = -DHAVE_XMLRPCPP_SSL
 
 export APP_NAME=ngcp-sems
 export SYSTEM_SAMPLECLOCK_RATE=48000LL
+export LONG_DEBUG_MESSAGE=yes
 export USE_THREADPOOL=yes
-
+export USE_SPANDSP=yes
 export PYTHON_VERSION=3
 
+
 # Enable parallel builds for overrides.
 NUMJOBS = 1
 ifneq (,$(filter parallel=%,$(DEB_BUILD_OPTIONS)))