diff --git a/debian/rules b/debian/rules
index 1c6a8ccf8f390ee959c3602e2b48c32f7f4d7f60..8af1b51de61a99a2827b083be829a6110771eb8b 100755
--- a/debian/rules
+++ b/debian/rules
@@ -3,11 +3,12 @@ include /usr/share/cdbs/1/rules/debhelper.mk
 include /usr/share/cdbs/1/class/makefile.mk
 include /usr/share/cdbs/1/rules/simple-patchsys.mk
 
-PYTHONVER = `python -c 'import sys; print sys.version[:3]'`
+PYTHON = python2.4
+PYTHONVER = 2.4
 CFLAGS = `pkg-config --cflags gtk+-2.0 pygtk-2.0` -fPIC -I/usr/include/python$(PYTHONVER) -I.
 LDFLAGS = `pkg-config --libs gtk+-2.0 pygtk-2.0`
 
-DEB_MAKE_BUILD_TARGET    := all
+DEB_MAKE_BUILD_TARGET    := all PYTHON=python2.4
 DEB_MAKE_INSTALL_TARGET = install PYTHON=python2.4 PREFIX=/usr DESTDIR=$(DEB_DESTDIR)
 
 binary-install/gajim::