diff --git a/dev-python/numpy/numpy-1.10.4.ebuild b/dev-python/numpy/numpy-1.10.4.ebuild
index 73fc16097f880..19b3f9751ad34 100644
--- a/dev-python/numpy/numpy-1.10.4.ebuild
+++ b/dev-python/numpy/numpy-1.10.4.ebuild
@@ -117,6 +117,8 @@ python_prepare_all() {
 }
 
 python_compile() {
+	export MAKEOPTS=-j1 # bug #660754
+
 	distutils-r1_python_compile \
 		$(usex python_targets_python3_5 "" "-j $(makeopts_jobs)") \
 		${NUMPY_FCONFIG}
diff --git a/dev-python/numpy/numpy-1.13.3.ebuild b/dev-python/numpy/numpy-1.13.3.ebuild
index c618235d2a430..7242f6777759d 100644
--- a/dev-python/numpy/numpy-1.13.3.ebuild
+++ b/dev-python/numpy/numpy-1.13.3.ebuild
@@ -127,6 +127,8 @@ python_prepare_all() {
 }
 
 python_compile() {
+	export MAKEOPTS=-j1 # bug #660754
+
 	local python_makeopts_jobs=""
 	python_is_python3 || python_makeopts_jobs="-j $(makeopts_jobs)"
 	distutils-r1_python_compile \
diff --git a/dev-python/numpy/numpy-1.14.5.ebuild b/dev-python/numpy/numpy-1.14.5.ebuild
index cbedba5f96fa2..1b047af16592d 100644
--- a/dev-python/numpy/numpy-1.14.5.ebuild
+++ b/dev-python/numpy/numpy-1.14.5.ebuild
@@ -114,6 +114,8 @@ python_prepare_all() {
 }
 
 python_compile() {
+	export MAKEOPTS=-j1 # bug #660754
+
 	local python_makeopts_jobs=""
 	python_is_python3 || python_makeopts_jobs="-j $(makeopts_jobs)"
 	distutils-r1_python_compile \
diff --git a/dev-python/numpy/numpy-9999.ebuild b/dev-python/numpy/numpy-9999.ebuild
index aa2a3abfa0ef7..dd08eecdb0207 100644
--- a/dev-python/numpy/numpy-9999.ebuild
+++ b/dev-python/numpy/numpy-9999.ebuild
@@ -104,6 +104,8 @@ python_prepare_all() {
 }
 
 python_compile() {
+	export MAKEOPTS=-j1 # bug #660754
+
 	distutils-r1_python_compile -j $(makeopts_jobs) ${NUMPY_FCONFIG}
 }