diff --git a/examples/foomodulegen.py b/examples/foomodulegen.py
index 52bd98b..a5abb24 100755
--- a/examples/foomodulegen.py
+++ b/examples/foomodulegen.py
@@ -2,12 +2,14 @@
 
 import sys
 
+import pybindgen
 from pybindgen import (ReturnValue, Parameter, Module, Function, FileCodeSink)
 from pybindgen import (CppMethod, CppConstructor, CppClass)
 
     
 def my_module_gen(out_file):
-    print >> out_file, "#include <Python.h>"
+    pybindgen.write_preamble(FileCodeSink(out_file))
+
     print >> out_file, "#include \"foo.h\""
 
     mod = Module('foo')
diff --git a/pybindgen/__init__.py b/pybindgen/__init__.py
index a1f78d2..2ad1370 100644
--- a/pybindgen/__init__.py
+++ b/pybindgen/__init__.py
@@ -2,6 +2,35 @@
 from typehandlers.base import ReturnValue, Parameter
 from module import Module
 from function import Function
-from typehandlers.codesink import FileCodeSink
+from typehandlers.codesink import CodeSink, FileCodeSink
 from cppclass import CppMethod, CppClass, CppConstructor
 
+def write_preamble(code_sink, min_python_version=(2, 3)):
+    """
+    Write a preamble, containing includes, #define's and typedef's
+    necessary to correctly compile the code with the given minimum python
+    version.
+    """
+    
+    assert isinstance(code_sink, CodeSink)
+    assert isinstance(min_python_version, tuple)
+
+    code_sink.writeln('''
+#define PY_SSIZE_T_CLEAN
+#include <Python.h>
+''')
+
+    if min_python_version < (2, 5):
+        code_sink.writeln('''
+
+#if PY_VERSION_HEX < 0x02050000
+typedef int Py_ssize_t;
+# define PY_SSIZE_T_MAX INT_MAX
+# define PY_SSIZE_T_MIN INT_MIN
+typedef inquiry lenfunc;
+typedef intargfunc ssizeargfunc;
+typedef intobjargproc ssizeobjargproc;
+#endif
+
+''')
+    
diff --git a/tests/test-generation.py b/tests/test-generation.py
index 44265f8..5a11e29 100755
--- a/tests/test-generation.py
+++ b/tests/test-generation.py
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 import sys
 
-
+import pybindgen
 from pybindgen import typehandlers
 from pybindgen.typehandlers import codesink
 from pybindgen.typehandlers.base import Parameter, ReturnValue
@@ -21,7 +21,8 @@ class MyReverseWrapper(typehandlers.base.ReverseWrapperBase):
         
 
 def test():
-    print "#include <Python.h>"
+    pybindgen.write_preamble(codesink.FileCodeSink(sys.stdout))
+    print
     print "#include <string>"
     print