diff --git a/Source/Modules/scilab.cxx b/Source/Modules/scilab.cxx
index 63f689eaa..42df12f7c 100644
--- a/Source/Modules/scilab.cxx
+++ b/Source/Modules/scilab.cxx
@@ -884,7 +884,7 @@ public:
     Printf(builderCode, "libs = [];\n");
 
     // Flags from command line arguments
-    Printf(builderCode, "cflags = [];\n");
+    Printf(builderCode, "cflags = \"\";\n");
     for (int i = 0; i < Len(cflags); i++) {
       String *cflag = Getitem(cflags, i);
       Printf(builderCode, "cflags = cflags + \" %s\";\n", cflag);
@@ -900,7 +900,7 @@ public:
 	}
       }
     } else {
-      Printf(builderCode, "ldflags = [];\n");
+      Printf(builderCode, "ldflags = \"\";\n");
     }
 
     // External script to set flags