diff --git a/scripts/configure b/scripts/configure
index 694b1f07..3f0a62e8 100755
--- a/scripts/configure
+++ b/scripts/configure
@@ -5381,7 +5381,7 @@ if test "x${PYTHON3}" == "xno"; then
    fi
 
 else
-   MCPP="\${MAGICDIR}/scripts/preproc.py -ccomm"
+   MCPP="${PYTHON3} \${MAGICDIR}/scripts/preproc.py -ccomm"
    MSED="cat"
    usingPython3=1
 fi
diff --git a/scripts/configure.in b/scripts/configure.in
index ffce91e5..590b1c31 100644
--- a/scripts/configure.in
+++ b/scripts/configure.in
@@ -306,7 +306,7 @@ if test "x${PYTHON3}" == "xno"; then
    fi
 
 else
-   MCPP="\${MAGICDIR}/scripts/preproc.py -ccomm"
+   MCPP="${PYTHON3} \${MAGICDIR}/scripts/preproc.py -ccomm"
    MSED="cat"
    usingPython3=1
 fi