diff --git a/modules/mpi/include/ReplicaExchange.h b/modules/mpi/include/ReplicaExchange.h
index f5e4a9c009..1678cd1071 100644
--- a/modules/mpi/include/ReplicaExchange.h
+++ b/modules/mpi/include/ReplicaExchange.h
@@ -14,9 +14,15 @@
 #include <string>
 
 // We only want the C API, so try to suppress the C++ API
+#ifndef MPICH_SKIP_MPICXX
 #define MPICH_SKIP_MPICXX
+#endif
+#ifndef OMPI_SKIP_MPICXX
 #define OMPI_SKIP_MPICXX
+#endif
+#ifndef _MPICC_H
 #define _MPICC_H
+#endif
 #include <mpi.h>
 
 IMPMPI_BEGIN_NAMESPACE
diff --git a/modules/mpi/src/ReplicaExchange.cpp b/modules/mpi/src/ReplicaExchange.cpp
index 8fc021e74d..3a4849b528 100644
--- a/modules/mpi/src/ReplicaExchange.cpp
+++ b/modules/mpi/src/ReplicaExchange.cpp
@@ -9,9 +9,15 @@
 #include <IMP/mpi/internal/mpi_helpers.h>
 
 // We only want the C API, so try to suppress the C++ API
+#ifndef MPICH_SKIP_MPICXX
 #define MPICH_SKIP_MPICXX
+#endif
+#ifndef OMPI_SKIP_MPICXX
 #define OMPI_SKIP_MPICXX
+#endif
+#ifndef _MPICC_H
 #define _MPICC_H
+#endif
 #include "mpi.h"
 
 #include <IMP/random.h>
diff --git a/modules/mpi/src/internal/mpi_helpers.cpp b/modules/mpi/src/internal/mpi_helpers.cpp
index 39524b4848..0fd8f7e378 100644
--- a/modules/mpi/src/internal/mpi_helpers.cpp
+++ b/modules/mpi/src/internal/mpi_helpers.cpp
@@ -8,9 +8,15 @@
 #include <IMP/mpi/internal/mpi_helpers.h>
 
 // We only want the C API, so try to suppress the C++ API
+#ifndef MPICH_SKIP_MPICXX
 #define MPICH_SKIP_MPICXX
+#endif
+#ifndef OMPI_SKIP_MPICXX
 #define OMPI_SKIP_MPICXX
+#endif
+#ifndef _MPICC_H
 #define _MPICC_H
+#endif
 #include "mpi.h"
 
 #if defined(OMPI_MAJOR_VERSION) && !defined(_MSC_VER)
diff --git a/modules/mpi/utility/hello_world.cpp b/modules/mpi/utility/hello_world.cpp
index 95cd57a52a..91be8669a9 100644
--- a/modules/mpi/utility/hello_world.cpp
+++ b/modules/mpi/utility/hello_world.cpp
@@ -5,9 +5,15 @@
 #include <iostream>
 
 // We only want the C API, so try to suppress the C++ API
+#ifndef MPICH_SKIP_MPICXX
 #define MPICH_SKIP_MPICXX
+#endif
+#ifndef OMPI_SKIP_MPICXX
 #define OMPI_SKIP_MPICXX
+#endif
+#ifndef _MPICC_H
 #define _MPICC_H
+#endif
 #include <mpi.h>
 
 static int numprocs;
diff --git a/modules/spb/bin/spb.cpp b/modules/spb/bin/spb.cpp
index 93d6af6aba..78fca129b4 100644
--- a/modules/spb/bin/spb.cpp
+++ b/modules/spb/bin/spb.cpp
@@ -20,9 +20,15 @@
 #include <string>
 
 // We only want the C API, so try to suppress the C++ API
+#ifndef MPICH_SKIP_MPICXX
 #define MPICH_SKIP_MPICXX
+#endif
+#ifndef OMPI_SKIP_MPICXX
 #define OMPI_SKIP_MPICXX
+#endif
+#ifndef _MPICC_H
 #define _MPICC_H
+#endif
 #include "mpi.h"
 
 using namespace IMP;
diff --git a/modules/spb/bin/spb_density_perbead.cpp b/modules/spb/bin/spb_density_perbead.cpp
index e0db922ab1..169d34ab36 100644
--- a/modules/spb/bin/spb_density_perbead.cpp
+++ b/modules/spb/bin/spb_density_perbead.cpp
@@ -18,9 +18,15 @@
 #include <string>
 
 // We only want the C API, so try to suppress the C++ API
+#ifndef MPICH_SKIP_MPICXX
 #define MPICH_SKIP_MPICXX
+#endif
+#ifndef OMPI_SKIP_MPICXX
 #define OMPI_SKIP_MPICXX
+#endif
+#ifndef _MPICC_H
 #define _MPICC_H
+#endif
 #include "mpi.h"
 
 using namespace IMP;