diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index b6780c782a..f219b4f051 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -24,7 +24,6 @@ ifneq (,$(findstring varlink,$(BUILDTAGS)))
 	PODMAN_VARLINK_DEPENDENCIES = cmd/podman/varlink/iopodman.go
 endif
 
-PYTHON ?= /usr/bin/python3
 HAS_PYTHON3 := $(shell command -v python3 2>/dev/null)
 
 BASHINSTALLDIR=${PREFIX}/share/bash-completion/completions
@@ -138,12 +137,10 @@ clean:
 		libpod/container_easyjson.go \
 		libpod/pod_easyjson.go \
 		$(MANPAGES) ||:
-ifdef HAS_PYTHON3
-		$(MAKE) -C contrib/python/podman clean
-		$(MAKE) -C contrib/python/pypodman clean
-endif
 	find . -name \*~ -delete
 	find . -name \#\* -delete
+	$(MAKE) -C contrib/python/podman clean
+	$(MAKE) -C contrib/python/pypodman clean
 
 libpodimage:
 	docker build -t ${LIBPOD_IMAGE} .
diff --git a/contrib/python/podman/Makefile b/contrib/python/podman/Makefile
index f691092b7b..6ec4159f29 100644
--- a/contrib/python/podman/Makefile
+++ b/contrib/python/podman/Makefile
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-PYTHON ?= /usr/bin/python3
+PYTHON ?= $(shell command -v python3 2>/dev/null || command -v python)
 DESTDIR ?= /
 PODMAN_VERSION ?= '0.0.4'
 
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ uninstall:
 
 .PHONY: clean
 clean:
-	$(PYTHON) setup.py clean --all
 	rm -rf podman.egg-info dist
 	find . -depth -name __pycache__ -exec rm -rf {} \;
 	find . -depth -name \*.pyc -exec rm -f {} \;
+	$(PYTHON) ./setup.py clean --all
diff --git a/contrib/python/podman/setup.py b/contrib/python/podman/setup.py
old mode 100644
new mode 100755
index 2953ba0dcb..9d54bb3ac9
--- a/contrib/python/podman/setup.py
+++ b/contrib/python/podman/setup.py
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python
+
 import os
 
 from setuptools import find_packages, setup
diff --git a/contrib/python/pypodman/Makefile b/contrib/python/pypodman/Makefile
index 8c96919962..cd0fcf1dea 100644
--- a/contrib/python/pypodman/Makefile
+++ b/contrib/python/pypodman/Makefile
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-PYTHON ?= /usr/bin/python3
+PYTHON ?= $(shell command -v python3 2>/dev/null || command -v python)
 DESTDIR := /
 PODMAN_VERSION ?= '0.0.4'
 
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ clobber: uninstall clean
 
 .PHONY: clean
 clean:
-	$(PYTHON) setup.py clean --all
 	rm -rf pypodman.egg-info dist
 	find . -depth -name __pycache__ -exec rm -rf {} \;
 	find . -depth -name \*.pyc -exec rm -f {} \;
+	$(PYTHON) ./setup.py clean --all
diff --git a/contrib/python/pypodman/setup.py b/contrib/python/pypodman/setup.py
old mode 100644
new mode 100755
index 0f80d4060e..f07e892014
--- a/contrib/python/pypodman/setup.py
+++ b/contrib/python/pypodman/setup.py
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python
+
 import os
 
 from setuptools import find_packages, setup