diff --git a/wxdirect.cabal b/wxdirect.cabal
--- a/wxdirect.cabal
+++ b/wxdirect.cabal
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 name:         wxdirect
-version:      0.12.1.2
+version:      0.12.1.3
 license:      BSD3
 license-file: LICENSE
 author:       Daan Leijen
@@ -13,15 +13,23 @@
   works with wxWidgets 2.8 only.
 homepage:     http://haskell.org/haskellwiki/WxHaskell
 
-cabal-version: >= 1.8
+cabal-version: >= 1.2
 build-type:    Simple
 
+flag splitBase
+    description:    use new split base
+    default:        True
+
 library
   hs-source-dirs:
     src
 
-  build-depends:
-    base >= 4 && < 5
+  if flag(splitBase)
+    build-depends:
+        base >= 4 && < 5
+  else
+    build-depends:
+        base >= 3 && < 4
 
   exposed-modules:
     Application.Wxdirect
@@ -51,10 +59,17 @@
     src
 
   build-depends:
-    base       >= 4     && < 5,
-    containers >= 0.3   && < 0.4,
     parsec     >= 2.1.0 && < 4,
     time       >= 1.0   && < 1.2
+
+  if flag(splitBase)
+    build-depends:
+        base       >= 4     && < 5,
+        containers >= 0.2   && < 0.4
+  else
+    build-depends:
+        base       >= 3     && < 4,
+        containers >= 0.1   && < 0.3
 
 --  ghc-options: -Wall
   if impl(ghc >= 6.8)