diff --git a/fribidi.spec b/fribidi.spec
index ce22fa0..d12dd17 100644
--- a/fribidi.spec
+++ b/fribidi.spec
@@ -28,9 +28,18 @@ FriBidi.
 %setup -q
 
 %build
+%if 0%{?el5}
+# FORTIFY_SOURCE=2 breaks EL-5 build
+export CFLAGS=`echo $RPM_OPT_FLAGS | sed -e 's|FORTIFY_SOURCE=2|FORTIFY_SOURCE=1|'`
+%ifarch ppc ppc64 x86_64
+export CFLAGS="$CFLAGS -DPAGE_SIZE=4096"
+%endif
+%else
+# outside of EL-5, only ppc* needs modification
 %ifarch ppc ppc64
 export CFLAGS="$RPM_OPT_FLAGS -DPAGE_SIZE=4096"
 %endif
+%endif
 %configure --disable-static
 make %{?_smp_mflags}