diff --git a/etc/defaults.conf b/etc/defaults.conf
index d6f2f477a63..016d319461e 100644
--- a/etc/defaults.conf
+++ b/etc/defaults.conf
@@ -24,9 +24,8 @@ XBPS_INSTALL_ARGS="--repository=http://repo.voidlinux.eu/current"
 # Native Compilation/Preprocessor flags for C and C++. Additional settings
 # for the target architecture are also declared in common/build-profiles/<arch>.sh.
 #
-XBPS_CFLAGS="-O2 -pipe -fstack-protector-strong"
+XBPS_CFLAGS="-O2 -pipe -fstack-protector-strong -D_FORTIFY_SOURCE=2"
 XBPS_CXXFLAGS="${XBPS_CFLAGS}"
-XBPS_CPPFLAGS="-D_FORTIFY_SOURCE=2"
 
 # [OPTIONAL]
 # Linker flags passed to the compiler. By default we use --as-needed to