diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 14aea321..10c1cdb9 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -15,8 +15,17 @@ GNOME_COMPILE_WARNINGS(maximum)
 
 AC_PATH_PROG([GLIB_GENMARSHAL], [glib-genmarshal])
 
-PYTHON=python3
-AM_PATH_PYTHON
+AC_ARG_WITH([python2],
+        AS_HELP_STRING([--with-python2], [build for Python 2 (default)]),
+        [], [with_python2=unset])
+
+AC_ARG_WITH([python3],
+        AS_HELP_STRING([--with-python3], [build for Python 3]),
+        [with_python2=no], [with_python3=unset])
+
+AS_IF([test "x$with_python2" != xno],
+      	[AM_PATH_PYTHON([2.7])],
+	[AS_IF([test "x$with_python3" = xyes], [AM_PATH_PYTHON([3])],)])
 
 PKG_CHECK_MODULES(EXT, gtk+-3.0 gdk-3.0 gdk-pixbuf-2.0 sm ice alsa
                        librsvg-2.0 xfixes xi x11)