diff --git a/autoload/syntastic/makeprg.vim b/autoload/syntastic/makeprg.vim
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..571d9222
--- /dev/null
+++ b/autoload/syntastic/makeprg.vim
@@ -0,0 +1,65 @@
+if exists("g:loaded_syntastic_makeprg_autoload")
+    finish
+endif
+let g:loaded_syntastic_makeprg_autoload = 1
+
+function! syntastic#makeprg#build(opts)
+    let opts = copy(a:opts)
+
+    if !has_key(opts, 'args')
+        let opts['args'] = ''
+    endif
+
+    if !has_key(opts, 'subchecker')
+        let opts['subchecker'] = ''
+    endif
+
+    let builder = s:MakeprgBuilder.New(opts['exe'], opts['args'], opts['subchecker'])
+    return builder.makeprg()
+endfunction
+
+let s:MakeprgBuilder = {}
+
+function! s:MakeprgBuilder.New(exe, args, subchecker)
+    let newObj = copy(self)
+    let newObj._exe = a:exe
+    let newObj._args = a:args
+    let newObj._subchecker = a:subchecker
+    return newObj
+endfunction
+
+function! s:MakeprgBuilder.makeprg()
+    return join([self.exe(), self.args(), self.fname()])
+endfunction
+
+function! s:MakeprgBuilder.exe()
+    if self.optExists('exe')
+        return {self.optName('exe')}
+    endif
+
+    return self._exe
+endfunction
+
+function! s:MakeprgBuilder.args()
+    if exists('g:syntastic_' . &ft . '_args')
+        return g:syntastic_{&ft}_args
+    endif
+
+    return self._args
+endfunction
+
+function! s:MakeprgBuilder.fname()
+    return shellescape(expand("%"))
+endfunction
+
+function! s:MakeprgBuilder.optExists(name)
+    return exists(self.optName(a:name))
+endfunction
+
+function! s:MakeprgBuilder.optName(name)
+    let setting = "g:syntastic_" . &ft
+    if !empty(self._subchecker)
+        let setting .= '_' . self._subchecker
+    endif
+    return setting . '_' . a:name
+endfunction
diff --git a/syntax_checkers/coffee.vim b/syntax_checkers/coffee.vim
index a5f011e6..100e62c0 100644
--- a/syntax_checkers/coffee.vim
+++ b/syntax_checkers/coffee.vim
@@ -21,7 +21,9 @@ endif
 
 
 function! SyntaxCheckers_coffee_GetLocList()
-    let makeprg = 'coffee -c -l -o /tmp '.shellescape(expand('%'))
+    let makeprg = syntastic#makeprg#build({
+                \ 'exe': 'coffee',
+                \ 'args': '-c -l -o /tmp' })
     let errorformat =  'Syntax%trror: In %f\, %m on line %l,%EError: In %f\, Parse error on line %l: %m,%EError: In %f\, %m on line %l,%W%f(%l): lint warning: %m,%-Z%p^,%W%f(%l): warning: %m,%-Z%p^,%E%f(%l): SyntaxError: %m,%-Z%p^,%-G%.%#'
 
     let coffee_results = SyntasticMake({ 'makeprg': makeprg, 'errorformat': errorformat })
diff --git a/syntax_checkers/python/flake8.vim b/syntax_checkers/python/flake8.vim
index cd32cff2..5dbd4a5c 100644
--- a/syntax_checkers/python/flake8.vim
+++ b/syntax_checkers/python/flake8.vim
@@ -22,7 +22,10 @@ function! SyntaxCheckers_python_GetHighlightRegex(i)
 endfunction
 
 function! SyntaxCheckers_python_GetLocList()
-    let makeprg = 'flake8 '.g:syntastic_python_checker_args.' '.shellescape(expand('%'))
+    let makeprg = syntastic#makeprg#build({
+                \ 'exe': 'flake8',
+                \ 'args': g:syntastic_python_checker_args,
+                \ 'subchecker': 'flake8' })
     let errorformat = '%E%f:%l: could not compile,%-Z%p^,%E%f:%l:%c: %m,%W%f:%l: %m,%-G%.%#'
     return SyntasticMake({ 'makeprg': makeprg, 'errorformat': errorformat })
 endfunction