diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 2fc4616..a0f3bfd 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1379,7 +1379,7 @@
 	$(call filechk,timestamp.h)
 
 checkbinman: tools
-	@if ! ( echo 'import libfdt' | ( PYTHONPATH=tools python )); then \
+	@if ! ( echo 'import libfdt' | ( PYTHONPATH=tools $(PYTHON) )); then \
 		echo >&2; \
 		echo >&2 '*** binman needs the Python libfdt library.'; \
 		echo >&2 '*** Either install it on your system, or try:'; \