diff --git a/base-pistachio/Makefile b/base-pistachio/Makefile
index 27465a149..19a98dd3d 100644
--- a/base-pistachio/Makefile
+++ b/base-pistachio/Makefile
@@ -22,6 +22,17 @@ $(call check_tool,sed)
 $(call check_tool,autoheader)
 $(call check_tool,autoconf)
 
+#
+# Determine python version to use for CML2
+#
+PYTHON2 := $(notdir $(lastword $(shell which python2 python2.{4,5,6,7,8})))
+ifeq ($(PYTHON2),)
+prepare: python_not_installed
+python_not_installed:
+	$(ECHO) "Error: CML2 Configuration System needs Python 2 to be installed"
+	@false;
+endif
+
 #
 # Print help information by default
 #
@@ -45,6 +56,8 @@ prepare: $(CONTRIB_DIR)
 	$(VERBOSE)sed -i "/LD=/s/^.*$$/LD=\$$(CC)/" $(CONTRIB_DIR)/user/config.mk.in
 	$(ECHO) "applying patches to '$(CONTRIB_DIR)/'"
 	$(VERBOSE)for i in $(PATCHES); do patch -d $(CONTRIB_DIR) -p1 < $$i; done
+	$(VERBOSE)for i in cmlcompile.py cmlconfigure.py configtrans.py; do \
+		sed -i "s/env python/env $(PYTHON2)/" $(CONTRIB_DIR)/contrib/cml2/$$i; done
 	$(VERBOSE)cd $(CONTRIB_DIR)/user; autoheader; autoconf;
 
 clean::