diff --git a/configure b/configure
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -2957,7 +2957,7 @@
     { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: checking for python interpreter for cross build" >&5
 $as_echo_n "checking for python interpreter for cross build... " >&6; }
     if test -z "$PYTHON_FOR_BUILD"; then
-        for interp in python$PACKAGE_VERSION python3 python; do
+        for interp in "$HOSTPYTHON" python$PACKAGE_VERSION python3 python; do
 	    which $interp >/dev/null 2>&1 || continue
 	    if $interp -c 'import sys;sys.exit(not sys.version_info[:2] >= (3,3))'; then
 	        break
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@
 if test "$cross_compiling" = yes; then
     AC_MSG_CHECKING([for python interpreter for cross build])
     if test -z "$PYTHON_FOR_BUILD"; then
-        for interp in python$PACKAGE_VERSION python3 python; do
+        for interp in "$HOSTPYTHON" python$PACKAGE_VERSION python3 python; do
 	    which $interp >/dev/null 2>&1 || continue
 	    if $interp -c 'import sys;sys.exit(not sys.version_info@<:@:2@:>@ >= (3,3))'; then
 	        break