diff --git a/python3.9.spec b/python3.9.spec
index b98d92d..31436a4 100644
--- a/python3.9.spec
+++ b/python3.9.spec
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ URL: https://www.python.org/
 #global prerel ...
 %global upstream_version %{general_version}%{?prerel}
 Version: %{general_version}%{?prerel:~%{prerel}}
-Release: 4%{?dist}
+Release: 5%{?dist}
 License: Python
 
 
@@ -201,8 +201,6 @@ License: Python
 # The -O flag for the compiler, debug builds
 # -Wno-cpp avoids some warnings with -O0
 %global optflags_debug -O0 -Wno-cpp
-# Remove the default -O2 flag, our flags are applied in %%build/%%install
-%global __global_compiler_flags %(echo '%{__global_compiler_flags}' | sed 's/-O[[:digit:]]//')
 
 # Disable automatic bytecompilation. The python3 binary is not yet be
 # available in /usr/bin when Python is built. Also, the bytecompilation fails
@@ -916,6 +914,7 @@ BuildPython() {
   ConfName=$1
   ExtraConfigArgs=$2
   MoreCFlags=$3
+  MoreCFlagsNodist=$4
 
   # Each build is done in its own directory
   ConfDir=build/$ConfName
@@ -950,7 +949,7 @@ BuildPython() {
   $ExtraConfigArgs \
   %{nil}
 
-%global flags_override EXTRA_CFLAGS="$MoreCFlags" CFLAGS_NODIST="$CFLAGS_NODIST $MoreCFlags"
+%global flags_override EXTRA_CFLAGS="$MoreCFlags" CFLAGS_NODIST="$CFLAGS_NODIST $MoreCFlagsNodist"
 
 %if %{without bootstrap}
   # Regenerate generated files (needs python3)
@@ -973,11 +972,13 @@ BuildPython() {
 # See also: https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1818857
 BuildPython debug \
   "--without-ensurepip --with-pydebug" \
-  "%{optflags_debug}"
+  "%{optflags_debug}" \
+  ""
 %endif # with debug_build
 
 BuildPython optimized \
   "--without-ensurepip %{optimizations_flag}" \
+  "" \
   "%{optflags_optimized}"
 
 # ======================================================
@@ -1084,7 +1085,7 @@ InstallPython debug \
 # Now the optimized build:
 InstallPython optimized \
   %{py_INSTSONAME_optimized} \
-  "%{optflags_optimized}" \
+  "" \
   %{LDVERSION_optimized}
 
 # Install directories for additional packages
@@ -1852,6 +1853,9 @@ CheckPython optimized
 # ======================================================
 
 %changelog
+* Thu Jul 25 2024 Charalampos Stratakis <cstratak@redhat.com> - 3.9.19-5
+- Properly propagate the optimization flags to C extensions
+
 * Thu Jul 18 2024 Charalampos Stratakis <cstratak@redhat.com> - 3.9.19-4
 - Build Python with -O3
 - https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Changes/Python_built_with_gcc_O3