diff --git a/plugins/python-build/bin/python-build b/plugins/python-build/bin/python-build
index ea1599f7..0cdaf3be 100755
--- a/plugins/python-build/bin/python-build
+++ b/plugins/python-build/bin/python-build
@@ -584,9 +584,9 @@ build_package_pypy() {
 
 build_package_pypy_builder() {
   if [ -f "rpython/bin/rpython" ]; then # pypy 2.x
-    python "rpython/bin/rpython" -Ojit "pypy/goal/targetpypystandalone.py" >&4 2>&1
+    python "rpython/bin/rpython" ${PYPY_OPTS:-"-Ojit"} "pypy/goal/targetpypystandalone.py" >&4 2>&1
   elif [ -f "pypy/translator/goal/translate.py" ]; then # pypy 1.x
-    ( cd "pypy/translator/goal" && python "translate.py" --opt=jit "targetpypystandalone.py" ) 1>&4 2>&1
+    ( cd "pypy/translator/goal" && python "translate.py" ${PYPY_OPTS:-"--opt=jit"} "targetpypystandalone.py" ) 1>&4 2>&1
   else
     echo "not a pypy source tree" 1>&3
     return 1