diff --git a/rattail_fabric2/python.py b/rattail_fabric2/python.py
index 111a20f..02cb0c7 100644
--- a/rattail_fabric2/python.py
+++ b/rattail_fabric2/python.py
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 ################################################################################
 #
 #  Rattail -- Retail Software Framework
-#  Copyright © 2010-2022 Lance Edgar
+#  Copyright © 2010-2023 Lance Edgar
 #
 #  This file is part of Rattail.
 #
@@ -112,7 +112,8 @@ def configure_pythonz(c, user):
            use_sudo=True)
 
 
-def install_python(c, version, globally=False, verbose=False):
+def install_python(c, version, globally=False, verbose=False,
+                   use_clang=False):
     """
     Install a specific version of python, via pythonz.
 
@@ -121,10 +122,17 @@ def install_python(c, version, globally=False, verbose=False):
        symlink, if installed, will use the "short" version, e.g. if the
        ``version`` specified is ``'3.5.3'`` then the symlink will be named
        ``'python3.5'``.
+
+    :param use_clang: Use `clang` instead of default compiler.  May be
+       needed in rare cases for older python versions.  See also
+       https://stackoverflow.com/a/73267352
     """
+    if use_clang:
+        apt.install(c, 'clang')
     if not exists(c, '/usr/local/pythonz/pythons/CPython-{}'.format(version)):
+        clang = 'CC=clang' if use_clang else ''
         verbose = '--verbose' if verbose else ''
-        c.sudo("bash -lc 'pythonz install {} {}'".format(verbose, version))
+        c.sudo(f"bash -lc '{clang} pythonz install {verbose} {version}'")
     if globally:
         short_version = '.'.join(version.split('.')[:2])
         c.sudo('ln -sf /usr/local/pythonz/pythons/CPython-{0}/bin/python{1} /usr/local/bin/python{1}'.format(