diff --git a/wscript b/wscript
index c61ed94..8d0a819 100644
--- a/wscript
+++ b/wscript
@@ -73,6 +73,8 @@ def configure(conf):
 
 	cflags, linkflags = conf.get_optimization_flags()
 	cxxflags = list(cflags) # optimization flags are common between C and C++ but we need a copy
+	if conf.env.COMPILER_CC != 'msvc':
+		cxxflags += ['-std=c++98']
 
 	# on the Switch, allow undefined symbols by default, which is needed for libsolder to work
 	# we'll specifically disallow them for the engine executable