diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 4d9d9e59280..f8bb131cb63 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -125,7 +125,10 @@ AC_PROG_GREP
 AC_PROG_NM
 AM_PROG_AS
 AX_CHECK_GNU_MAKE
-AC_CHECK_PROGS([PYTHON2], [python2.7 python2 python])
+AM_PATH_PYTHON([2.7],, [:])
+PYTHON2=$PYTHON
+AC_SUBST([PYTHON2])
+
 AC_PROG_SED
 AC_PROG_MKDIR_P
 
@@ -157,7 +160,7 @@ fi
 
 AX_CHECK_PYTHON_MAKO_MODULE($PYTHON_MAKO_REQUIRED)
 
-if test -z "$PYTHON2"; then
+if test "$PYTHON2" = ":"; then
     if test ! -f "$srcdir/src/util/format_srgb.c"; then
         AC_MSG_ERROR([Python not found - unable to generate sources])
     fi
diff --git a/docs/install.html b/docs/install.html
index 08081944cfc..f6094671cf9 100644
--- a/docs/install.html
+++ b/docs/install.html
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ you think you've spotted a bug let developers know by filing a
 
 <ul>
 <li><a href="https://www.python.org/">Python</a> - Python is required.
-Version 2.6.4 or later should work.
+Version 2.7 or later should work.
 </li>
 <li><a href="http://www.makotemplates.org/">Python Mako module</a> -
 Python Mako module is required. Version 0.3.4 or later should work.