--- a/_mysql.h
+++ b/_mysql.h
@@ -25,6 +25,12 @@
 # define MyMemberlist(x) struct PyMemberDef x
 # define MyAlloc(s,t) (s *) t.tp_alloc(&t,0)
 # define MyFree(ob) ob->ob_type->tp_free((PyObject *)ob) 
+#endif
+
+#if PY_VERSION_HEX < 0x02050000 && !defined(PY_SSIZE_T_MIN)
+typedef int Py_ssize_t;
+#define PY_SSIZE_T_MAX INT_MAX
+#define PY_SSIZE_T_MIN INT_MIN
 #endif
 
 typedef struct {