diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 20d7f35..5751083 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -676,8 +676,8 @@ class PyBuildExt(build_ext):
         # if a file is found in one of those directories, it can
         # be assumed that no additional -I,-L directives are needed.
         if not CROSS_COMPILING:
-            self.lib_dirs = self.compiler.library_dirs + system_lib_dirs
-            self.inc_dirs = self.compiler.include_dirs + system_include_dirs
+            self.lib_dirs = os.getenv('LIBRARY_PATH', '').split(os.pathsep)
+            self.inc_dirs = os.getenv('CPATH', '').split(os.pathsep)
         else:
             # Add the sysroot paths. 'sysroot' is a compiler option used to
             # set the logical path of the standard system headers and
--
2.23.0