diff --git a/debian/rules b/debian/rules
index 6b3c450e03..261aea1759 100755
--- a/debian/rules
+++ b/debian/rules
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ GTK_CONFIGURE_OPTIONS = $(COMMON_CONFIGURE_OPTIONS) \
 pytoolkit := gtk2
 PY_WX_CONFIG_OPTIONS = --version=$(release) --toolkit=$(pytoolkit) --static=no
 
-WX_UNICODE := 1
+WX_UNICODE ?= 1
 WX_OPENGL := 1
 
 ifeq ($(WX_UNICODE),1)
@@ -299,7 +299,6 @@ install_all_native := $(install_all_arch) $(install_all_indep)
 install_all := $(install_all_native) $(install_all_cross)
 
 
-
 #---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # Setup Rules: