diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index ebb60a6c0dd3b7618b0971dd4f29e01bf865f7ef..764afdcc8237bdd9e7afb4282eb5b318beb7eb62 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ dnl Python-dev (actually only used for $PYTHON)
 AX_PYTHON_DEVEL
 
 dnl nosetests
-AC_PATH_PROG([NOSETESTS], [nosetests])
+AC_PATH_PROG([NOSETESTS], [nosetests${PYTHON_VERSION}])
 
 dnl GoogleTest (use the embedded version)
 GTEST_LIBS="\$(top_builddir)/lib/gtest/libgtest.la"