--- a/macros/ac_python_devel.m4	
+++ a/macros/ac_python_devel.m4	
@@ -20,14 +20,8 @@ AC_DEFUN([AC_PYTHON_DEVEL],[
 
 	# 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 $python_path | sed "s,/Python.h$,,"`
+	python_path=`$PYTHON -c 'import distutils.sysconfig; \
+            print(distutils.sysconfig.get_python_inc())'`
 	AC_MSG_RESULT([$python_path])
 	if test -z "$python_path" ; then
 		AC_MSG_ERROR([cannot find Python include path])
@@ -36,21 +30,16 @@ AC_DEFUN([AC_PYTHON_DEVEL],[
 
 	# 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 $python_path | sed "s,/libpython.*$,,"`
+	python_path=`$PYTHON -c 'import distutils.sysconfig; \
+            print(distutils.sysconfig.get_config_var("LIBDIR"))'`
 	AC_MSG_RESULT([$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 $python_path | sed "s/config/site-packages/"`
+	python_site=`$PYTHON -c 'import distutils.sysconfig; \
+            print(distutils.sysconfig.get_python_lib(standard_lib=False))'`
 	AC_SUBST([PYTHON_SITE_PKG],[$python_site])
 	#
 	# libraries which must be linked in when embedding