diff --git a/m4/ac_python_devel.m4 b/m4/ac_python_devel.m4
index bf30614..a760a2e 100644
--- a/m4/ac_python_devel.m4
+++ b/m4/ac_python_devel.m4
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@ dnl It provides the $(PYTHON_CPPFLAGS) and $(PYTHON_LDFLAGS) output
 dnl variables.
 dnl It also exports $(PYTHON_EXTRA_LIBS) and $(PYTHON_EXTRA_LDFLAGS)
 dnl for embedding Python in your code.
+dnl If you want to use a particular version of Python, please set
+dnl the PYTHON_VERSION variable.
 dnl
 dnl @category InstalledPackages
 dnl @author Sebastian Huber <sebastian-huber@web.de>
@@ -12,58 +14,60 @@ dnl @author Alan W. Irwin <irwin@beluga.phys.uvic.ca>
 dnl @author Rafael Laboissiere <laboissiere@psy.mpg.de>
 dnl @author Andrew Collier <colliera@nu.ac.za>
 dnl @author Matteo Settenvini <matteo@member.fsf.org>
-dnl @version 2006-01-13
+dnl @version 2006-01-29
 dnl @license GPLWithACException
 
 AC_DEFUN([AC_PYTHON_DEVEL],[
 	#
-	# should allow for checking of python version here...
+	# Allow use of a custom python version
 	#
-	AC_REQUIRE([AM_PATH_PYTHON])
+	AC_ARG_VAR([PYTHON_VERSION],[The installed Python
+		version to link against, for example '2.3'])
+	AC_PATH_PROG([PYTHON],[python[$PYTHON_VERSION]])
 
-	# Check for Python include path
-	AC_MSG_CHECKING([for Python include path])
-	python_path=`echo $PYTHON | sed "s,/bin.*$,,"`
-	for i in "$python_path/include/python$PYTHON_VERSION/" "$python_path/include/python/" "$python_path/" ; do
-		python_path=`find $i -type f -name Python.h -print | sed "1q"`
-		if test -n "$python_path" ; then
-			break
-		fi
-	done
-	python_path=`echo $python_path | sed "s,/Python.h$,,"`
-	AC_MSG_RESULT([$python_path])
-	if test -z "$python_path" ; then
-		AC_MSG_ERROR([cannot find Python include path])
+	if test -z "$PYTHON"; then
+	   AC_MSG_ERROR([Cannot find python$PYTHON_VERSION in your system path])
 	fi
+	
+	#
+	# Check for Python include path
+	#
+	AC_MSG_CHECKING([for Python include path])
+		python_path=`$PYTHON -c "import distutils.sysconfig; \
+               	print distutils.sysconfig.get_python_inc();"`
+		AC_MSG_RESULT([$python_path])
 	AC_SUBST([PYTHON_CPPFLAGS],[-I$python_path])
 
-	# Check for Python library path
-	AC_MSG_CHECKING([for Python library path])
-	python_path=`echo $PYTHON | sed "s,/bin.*$,,"`
-	for i in "$python_path/lib/python$PYTHON_VERSION/config/" "$python_path/lib/python$PYTHON_VERSION/" "$python_path/lib/python/config/" "$python_path/lib/python/" "$python_path/" ; do
-		python_path=`find $i -type f -name libpython$PYTHON_VERSION.* -print | sed "1q"`
-		if test -n "$python_path" ; then
-			break
-		fi
-	done
-	python_path=`echo $python_path | sed "s,/libpython.*$,,"`
-	AC_MSG_RESULT([$python_path])
-	if test -z "$python_path" ; then
-		AC_MSG_ERROR([cannot find Python library path])
-	fi
-	AC_SUBST([PYTHON_LDFLAGS],["-L$python_path -lpython$PYTHON_VERSION"])
 	#
-	python_site=`echo $python_path | sed "s/config/site-packages/"`
+	# Check for Python library path
+	#
+	AC_MSG_CHECKING([for Python library path])
+		python_path=`$PYTHON -c "from distutils.sysconfig import *; \
+		from string import join; \
+		print '-L' + get_python_lib(0,1), \
+		      '-lpython' + join(get_config_vars('VERSION'));"`
+		AC_MSG_RESULT([$python_path])
+	AC_SUBST([PYTHON_LDFLAGS],[-I$python_path])
+
+	#
+	# Check for site packages
+	#
+	AC_MSG_CHECKING([for Python site-packages path])
+		python_site=`$PYTHON -c "import distutils.sysconfig; \
+               	print distutils.sysconfig.get_python_lib(0,0);"`
+		AC_MSG_RESULT([$python_site])
 	AC_SUBST([PYTHON_SITE_PKG],[$python_site])
+
 	#
 	# libraries which must be linked in when embedding
 	#
 	AC_MSG_CHECKING(python extra libraries)
 	PYTHON_EXTRA_LIBS=`$PYTHON -c "import distutils.sysconfig; \
                 conf = distutils.sysconfig.get_config_var; \
-                print conf('LOCALMODLIBS')+' '+conf('LIBS')"`
+                print conf('LOCALMODLIBS'), conf('LIBS')"`
 	AC_MSG_RESULT([$PYTHON_EXTRA_LIBS])
 	AC_SUBST(PYTHON_EXTRA_LIBS)
+
 	#
 	# linking flags needed when embedding
 	#