diff --git a/config/python.m4 b/config/python.m4
index ec357c2e48..1ef77a91dd 100644
--- a/config/python.m4
+++ b/config/python.m4
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ fi
 AC_MSG_CHECKING([Python configuration directory])
 python_majorversion=`${PYTHON} -c "import sys; print(sys.version[[0]])"`
 python_version=`${PYTHON} -c "import sys; print(sys.version[[:3]])"`
-python_configdir=`${PYTHON} -c "from distutils.sysconfig import get_python_lib as f; import os; print(os.path.join(f(plat_specific=1,standard_lib=1),'config'))"`
+python_configdir=`${PYTHON} -c "import distutils.sysconfig,string; print(' '.join(filter(None,distutils.sysconfig.get_config_vars('LIBPL'))))"`
 python_includespec=`${PYTHON} -c "import distutils.sysconfig; print('-I'+distutils.sysconfig.get_python_inc())"`
 
 AC_SUBST(python_majorversion)[]dnl
@@ -69,7 +69,12 @@ then
 else
 	# Old way: use libpython from python_configdir
 	python_libdir="${python_configdir}"
-	python_libspec="-L${python_libdir} -lpython${python_version}"
+	# LDVERSION was introduced in Python 3.2.
+	python_ldversion=`${PYTHON} -c "import distutils.sysconfig,string; print(' '.join(filter(None,distutils.sysconfig.get_config_vars('LDVERSION'))))"`
+	if test x"${python_ldversion}" = x""; then
+		python_ldversion=$python_version
+	fi
+	python_libspec="-L${python_libdir} -lpython${python_ldversion}"
 fi
 
 python_additional_libs=`${PYTHON} -c "import distutils.sysconfig,string; print(' '.join(filter(None,distutils.sysconfig.get_config_vars('LIBS','LIBC','LIBM','BASEMODLIBS'))))"`
diff --git a/configure b/configure
index 4d8e5bfb6c..ce7670a22a 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -7242,7 +7242,7 @@ fi
 $as_echo_n "checking Python configuration directory... " >&6; }
 python_majorversion=`${PYTHON} -c "import sys; print(sys.version[0])"`
 python_version=`${PYTHON} -c "import sys; print(sys.version[:3])"`
-python_configdir=`${PYTHON} -c "from distutils.sysconfig import get_python_lib as f; import os; print(os.path.join(f(plat_specific=1,standard_lib=1),'config'))"`
+python_configdir=`${PYTHON} -c "import distutils.sysconfig,string; print(' '.join(filter(None,distutils.sysconfig.get_config_vars('LIBPL'))))"`
 python_includespec=`${PYTHON} -c "import distutils.sysconfig; print('-I'+distutils.sysconfig.get_python_inc())"`
 
 # This should be enough of a message.
@@ -7266,7 +7266,12 @@ then
 else
 	# Old way: use libpython from python_configdir
 	python_libdir="${python_configdir}"
-	python_libspec="-L${python_libdir} -lpython${python_version}"
+	# LDVERSION was introduced in Python 3.2.
+	python_ldversion=`${PYTHON} -c "import distutils.sysconfig,string; print(' '.join(filter(None,distutils.sysconfig.get_config_vars('LDVERSION'))))"`
+	if test x"${python_ldversion}" = x""; then
+		python_ldversion=$python_version
+	fi
+	python_libspec="-L${python_libdir} -lpython${python_ldversion}"
 fi
 
 python_additional_libs=`${PYTHON} -c "import distutils.sysconfig,string; print(' '.join(filter(None,distutils.sysconfig.get_config_vars('LIBS','LIBC','LIBM','BASEMODLIBS'))))"`