diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 9a6f963..a1dbce5 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -170,7 +170,10 @@
 				[Include the VTY/CTRL tests in make check [default=no]]),
 		[enable_ext_tests="$enableval"],[enable_ext_tests="no"])
 if test "x$enable_ext_tests" = "xyes" ; then
-	AM_PATH_PYTHON
+	AC_CHECK_PROG(PYTHON2_AVAIL,python2,yes)
+	 if test "x$PYTHON2_AVAIL" != "xyes" ; then
+		AC_MSG_ERROR([Please install python2 to run the VTY/CTRL tests.])
+	fi
 	AC_CHECK_PROG(OSMOTESTEXT_CHECK,osmotestvty.py,yes)
 	 if test "x$OSMOTESTEXT_CHECK" != "xyes" ; then
 		AC_MSG_ERROR([Please install git://osmocom.org/python/osmo-python-tests to run the VTY/CTRL tests.])