diff --git a/.travis.yml b/.travis.yml
index fc73f4e..56e0417 100644
--- a/.travis.yml
+++ b/.travis.yml
@@ -68,7 +68,11 @@ matrix:
         - export PATH=$(./.mason/mason prefix clang++ 3.9.0)/bin:${PATH}
     - os: osx
       osx_image: xcode8
-      env: TEST_GYP_BUILD=True
+      env: OSX_OLDEST_SUPPORTED=10.7 TEST_GYP_BUILD=True
+      compiler: clang
+    - os: osx
+      osx_image: xcode8
+      env: OSX_OLDEST_SUPPORTED=10.12
       compiler: clang
     - os: linux
       compiler: "clang35"
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index d06eea3..c057513 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -24,7 +24,10 @@ ifeq ($(OS), Linux)
   EXTRA_FLAGS = -pthread
 endif
 ifeq ($(OS), Darwin)
-  EXTRA_FLAGS = -mmacosx-version-min=10.8
+  OSX_OLDEST_SUPPORTED ?= 10.7
+  # we need to explicitly ask for libc++ otherwise the
+  # default will flip back to libstdc++ for mmacosx-version-min < 10.9
+  EXTRA_FLAGS = -stdlib=libc++ -mmacosx-version-min=$(OSX_OLDEST_SUPPORTED)
 endif