diff --git a/tools/check/Makefile b/tools/check/Makefile
index 2604472158..adfbdaea3a 100644
--- a/tools/check/Makefile
+++ b/tools/check/Makefile
@@ -7,12 +7,12 @@ all install: check-build
 # Check this machine is OK for building on.
 .PHONY: check-build
 check-build:
-	LIBXENAPI_BINDINGS=$(LIBXENAPI_BINDINGS) ACM_SECURITY=$(ACM_SECURITY) ./chk build
+	PYTHON=$(PYTHON) LIBXENAPI_BINDINGS=$(LIBXENAPI_BINDINGS) ACM_SECURITY=$(ACM_SECURITY) ./chk build
 
 # Check this machine is OK for installing on.
 .PHONY: check-install
 check-install:
-	LIBXENAPI_BINDINGS=$(LIBXENAPI_BINDINGS) ACM_SECURITY=$(ACM_SECURITY) ./chk install
+	PYTHON=$(PYTHON) LIBXENAPI_BINDINGS=$(LIBXENAPI_BINDINGS) ACM_SECURITY=$(ACM_SECURITY) ./chk install
 
 .PHONY: clean
 clean:
diff --git a/tools/check/check_python b/tools/check/check_python
index 229809fd48..cdfe811c14 100755
--- a/tools/check/check_python
+++ b/tools/check/check_python
@@ -3,7 +3,11 @@
 
 . ./funcs.sh
 
-python -c '
+if test -z ${PYTHON}; then
+	PYTHON=`/usr/bin/env python 2>/dev/null`
+fi
+
+${PYTHON} -c '
 import sys
 sys.exit(sys.version_info[0] < 2 or sys.version_info[1] < 2)
 ' || fail "need python version >= 2.2"
diff --git a/tools/check/check_python_devel b/tools/check/check_python_devel
index 98d448f474..dd68568b9b 100755
--- a/tools/check/check_python_devel
+++ b/tools/check/check_python_devel
@@ -3,7 +3,12 @@
 
 . ./funcs.sh
 
-python -c '
+if test -z ${PYTHON}; then
+	PYTHON=`/usr/bin/env python 2>/dev/null`
+fi
+has_or_fail ${PYTHON}
+
+${PYTHON} -c '
 import os.path, sys
 for p in sys.path:
 	if os.path.exists(p + "/config/Makefile"):
diff --git a/tools/check/check_python_xml b/tools/check/check_python_xml
index 6b65c463c0..13ef805e75 100755
--- a/tools/check/check_python_xml
+++ b/tools/check/check_python_xml
@@ -3,5 +3,10 @@
 
 . ./funcs.sh
 
-python -c 'import xml.dom.minidom' 2>/dev/null || \
+if test -z ${PYTHON}; then
+	PYTHON=`/usr/bin/env python 2>/dev/null`
+fi
+has_or_fail ${PYTHON}
+
+${PYTHON} -c 'import xml.dom.minidom' 2>/dev/null || \
 fail "can't import xml.dom.minidom"