diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 538cee9ae..62c18b501 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -330,10 +330,15 @@ def _setup_extensions(self):
                                extra_compile_args=compile_args)
                         for m in cython_candidates],
                     nthreads=build_concurrency,
-                    exclude_failures=not CASS_DRIVER_BUILD_EXTENSIONS_ARE_MUST))
+                    exclude_failures=not CASS_DRIVER_BUILD_EXTENSIONS_ARE_MUST,
+                    compiler_directives={'language_level': 3},
+                ))
 
-                self.extensions.extend(cythonize(NoPatchExtension("*", ["cassandra/*.pyx"], extra_compile_args=compile_args),
-                                                 nthreads=build_concurrency))
+                self.extensions.extend(cythonize(
+                    NoPatchExtension("*", ["cassandra/*.pyx"], extra_compile_args=compile_args),
+                    nthreads=build_concurrency,
+                    compiler_directives={'language_level': 3},
+                ))
             except Exception:
                 sys.stderr.write("Failed to cythonize one or more modules. These will not be compiled as extensions (optional).\n")
                 if CASS_DRIVER_BUILD_EXTENSIONS_ARE_MUST: