diff --git a/python/setup.py b/python/setup.py
index d4dfe832c..be079ca8a 100644
--- a/python/setup.py
+++ b/python/setup.py
@@ -326,7 +326,7 @@ def api_main(program, *args):
     result = None
 
     if parsed_args.command == "build":
-        kwargs = {}
+        kwargs = dict(build_python=False, build_java=False)
         for lang in parsed_args.language.split(","):
             if "python" in lang:
                 kwargs.update(build_python=True)