diff --git a/build_files/scons/config/aix4-config.py b/build_files/scons/config/aix4-config.py
index a769f53b35e..2e9a1dc0bf3 100644
--- a/build_files/scons/config/aix4-config.py
+++ b/build_files/scons/config/aix4-config.py
@@ -190,7 +190,7 @@ BF_PROFILE_FLAGS = ['-pg','-g']
 BF_PROFILE = 'false'
 
 BF_DEBUG = 'false'
-BF_DEBUG_FLAGS = '-g'
+BF_DEBUG_CCFLAGS = ['-g']
 
 BF_BUILDDIR = '../build/aix4'
 BF_INSTALLDIR='../install/aix4'
diff --git a/build_files/scons/config/irix6-config.py b/build_files/scons/config/irix6-config.py
index 7c319f7b520..f5680aa29a6 100644
--- a/build_files/scons/config/irix6-config.py
+++ b/build_files/scons/config/irix6-config.py
@@ -171,9 +171,9 @@ REL_CCFLAGS = ['-O2']
 ##ARFLAGS = ruv
 ##ARFLAGSQUIET = ru
 ##
-C_WARN = '-no_prelink -ptused'
+C_WARN = ['-no_prelink', '-ptused']
 
-CC_WARN = '-no_prelink -ptused'
+CC_WARN = ['-no_prelink', '-ptused']
 
 ##FIX_STUBS_WARNINGS = -Wno-unused
 
@@ -185,7 +185,7 @@ BF_PROFILE_FLAGS = ['-pg','-g']
 BF_PROFILE = 'false'
 
 BF_DEBUG = 'false'
-BF_DEBUG_FLAGS = '-g'
+BF_DEBUG_CCFLAGS = ['-g']
 
 BF_BUILDDIR = '../build/irix6'
 BF_INSTALLDIR='../install/irix6'
diff --git a/build_files/scons/tools/btools.py b/build_files/scons/tools/btools.py
index 737ce40d702..bc0beb422f0 100644
--- a/build_files/scons/tools/btools.py
+++ b/build_files/scons/tools/btools.py
@@ -387,33 +387,33 @@ def read_opts(env, cfg, args):
         (BoolVariable('WITH_BF_PLAYER', 'Build blenderplayer if true', False)),
         (BoolVariable('WITH_BF_NOBLENDER', 'Do not build blender if true', False)),
 
-        ('CFLAGS', 'C only flags', ''),
-        ('CCFLAGS', 'Generic C and C++ flags', ''),
-        ('CXXFLAGS', 'C++ only flags', ''),
-        ('BGE_CXXFLAGS', 'C++ only flags for BGE', ''),
-        ('CPPFLAGS', 'Defines', ''),
-        ('REL_CFLAGS', 'C only release flags', ''),
-        ('REL_CCFLAGS', 'Generic C and C++ release flags', ''),
-        ('REL_CXXFLAGS', 'C++ only release flags', ''),
+        ('CFLAGS', 'C only flags', []),
+        ('CCFLAGS', 'Generic C and C++ flags', []),
+        ('CXXFLAGS', 'C++ only flags', []),
+        ('BGE_CXXFLAGS', 'C++ only flags for BGE', []),
+        ('CPPFLAGS', 'Defines', []),
+        ('REL_CFLAGS', 'C only release flags', []),
+        ('REL_CCFLAGS', 'Generic C and C++ release flags', []),
+        ('REL_CXXFLAGS', 'C++ only release flags', []),
 
-        ('C_WARN', 'C warning flags', ''),
-        ('CC_WARN', 'Generic C and C++ warning flags', ''),
-        ('CXX_WARN', 'C++ only warning flags', ''),
+        ('C_WARN', 'C warning flags', []),
+        ('CC_WARN', 'Generic C and C++ warning flags', []),
+        ('CXX_WARN', 'C++ only warning flags', []),
 
-        ('LLIBS', 'Platform libs', ''),
-        ('PLATFORM_LINKFLAGS', 'Platform linkflags', ''),
+        ('LLIBS', 'Platform libs', []),
+        ('PLATFORM_LINKFLAGS', 'Platform linkflags', []),
         ('MACOSX_ARCHITECTURE', 'python_arch.zip select', ''),
 
         (BoolVariable('BF_PROFILE', 'Add profiling information if true', False)),
-        ('BF_PROFILE_CFLAGS', 'C only profiling flags', ''),
-        ('BF_PROFILE_CCFLAGS', 'C and C++ profiling flags', ''),
-        ('BF_PROFILE_CXXFLAGS', 'C++ only profiling flags', ''),
-        ('BF_PROFILE_LINKFLAGS', 'Profile linkflags', ''),
+        ('BF_PROFILE_CFLAGS', 'C only profiling flags', []),
+        ('BF_PROFILE_CCFLAGS', 'C and C++ profiling flags', []),
+        ('BF_PROFILE_CXXFLAGS', 'C++ only profiling flags', []),
+        ('BF_PROFILE_LINKFLAGS', 'Profile linkflags', []),
 
         (BoolVariable('BF_DEBUG', 'Add debug flags if true', False)),
-        ('BF_DEBUG_CFLAGS', 'C only debug flags', ''),
-        ('BF_DEBUG_CCFLAGS', 'C and C++ debug flags', ''),
-        ('BF_DEBUG_CXXFLAGS', 'C++ only debug flags', ''),
+        ('BF_DEBUG_CFLAGS', 'C only debug flags', []),
+        ('BF_DEBUG_CCFLAGS', 'C and C++ debug flags', []),
+        ('BF_DEBUG_CXXFLAGS', 'C++ only debug flags', []),
 
         (BoolVariable('BF_BSC', 'Create .bsc files (msvc only)', False)),