diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index e0506464759..88dc54f8d0d 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ ENABLE_DOCUMENTATION_BUILD = os.environ.get(
 EXTRA_ENV_COMPILE_ARGS = os.environ.get('GRPC_PYTHON_CFLAGS', None)
 EXTRA_ENV_LINK_ARGS = os.environ.get('GRPC_PYTHON_LDFLAGS', None)
 if EXTRA_ENV_COMPILE_ARGS is None:
-  EXTRA_ENV_COMPILE_ARGS = ''
+  EXTRA_ENV_COMPILE_ARGS = '-std=c++11'
   if 'win32' in sys.platform and sys.version_info < (3, 5):
     # We use define flags here and don't directly add to DEFINE_MACROS below to
     # ensure that the expert user/builder has a way of turning it off (via the
@@ -195,6 +195,7 @@ def cython_extensions_and_necessity():
   extensions = [
       _extension.Extension(
           name=module_name,
+          language='c++',
           sources=[module_file] + list(CYTHON_HELPER_C_FILES) + list(CORE_C_FILES),
           include_dirs=list(EXTENSION_INCLUDE_DIRECTORIES),
           libraries=list(EXTENSION_LIBRARIES),