diff --git a/macros/ax_python_devel.m4 b/macros/ax_python_devel.m4
old mode 100644
new mode 100755
index 55463ed88..1df46a9cf
--- a/macros/ax_python_devel.m4
+++ b/macros/ax_python_devel.m4
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@
 #   modified version of the Autoconf Macro, you may extend this special
 #   exception to the GPL to apply to your modified version as well.
 
-#serial 21
+#serial 23
 
 AU_ALIAS([AC_PYTHON_DEVEL], [AX_PYTHON_DEVEL])
 AC_DEFUN([AX_PYTHON_DEVEL],[
@@ -109,7 +109,6 @@ to something else than an empty string.
 		fi
 	else
 		AC_MSG_RESULT([yes])
-        sysconfig="distutils.sysconfig"
 	fi
 
 	#
@@ -133,41 +132,28 @@ variable to configure. See ``configure --help'' for reference.
 		fi
 	fi
 
-    #
-    #
-    # Check for a version of Python >= 3.0.0
-    #
-    AC_MSG_CHECKING([for a version of Python >= '3.0.0'])
-    ac_supports_python3_ver=`$PYTHON -c "import sys; \
-        ver = sys.version.split ()[[0]]; \
-        print (ver >= '3.0.0')"`
-    if test "$ac_supports_python3_ver" != "True"; then
-        if test -z "$PYTHON_NOVERSIONCHECK"; then
-            AC_MSG_RESULT([no])
-        else
-            AC_MSG_RESULT([skip at user request])
-        fi
-    else
-        sysconfig="sysconfig"
-        PYTHON_CPPFLAGS=`python3-config --includes`
-        PYTHON_EXTRA_LDFLAGS=`python3-config --ldflags`
-        AC_MSG_RESULT([yes])
-    fi
-
-
 	#
 	# Check if you have distutils, else fail
 	#
-	AC_MSG_CHECKING([for the distutils Python package])
-	ac_distutils_result=`$PYTHON -c "import $sysconfig" 2>&1`
+	AC_MSG_CHECKING([for the sysconfig Python package])
+	ac_sysconfig_result=`$PYTHON -c "import sysconfig" 2>&1`
 	if test $? -eq 0; then
 		AC_MSG_RESULT([yes])
+		IMPORT_SYSCONFIG="import sysconfig"
 	else
 		AC_MSG_RESULT([no])
-		AC_MSG_ERROR([cannot import Python module "distutils".
+
+		AC_MSG_CHECKING([for the distutils Python package])
+		ac_sysconfig_result=`$PYTHON -c "from distutils import sysconfig" 2>&1`
+		if test $? -eq 0; then
+			AC_MSG_RESULT([yes])
+			IMPORT_SYSCONFIG="from distutils import sysconfig"
+		else
+			AC_MSG_ERROR([cannot import Python module "distutils".
 Please check your Python installation. The error was:
-$ac_distutils_result])
-		PYTHON_VERSION=""
+$ac_sysconfig_result])
+			PYTHON_VERSION=""
+		fi
 	fi
 
 	#
@@ -175,10 +161,19 @@ $ac_distutils_result])
 	#
 	AC_MSG_CHECKING([for Python include path])
 	if test -z "$PYTHON_CPPFLAGS"; then
-		python_path=`$PYTHON -c "import $sysconfig; \
-			print ($sysconfig.get_python_inc ());"`
-		plat_python_path=`$PYTHON -c "import $sysconfig; \
-			print ($sysconfig.get_python_inc (plat_specific=1));"`
+		if test "$IMPORT_SYSCONFIG" = "import sysconfig"; then
+			# sysconfig module has different functions
+			python_path=`$PYTHON -c "$IMPORT_SYSCONFIG; \
+				print (sysconfig.get_path ('include'));"`
+			plat_python_path=`$PYTHON -c "$IMPORT_SYSCONFIG; \
+				print (sysconfig.get_path ('platinclude'));"`
+		else
+			# old distutils way
+			python_path=`$PYTHON -c "$IMPORT_SYSCONFIG; \
+				print (sysconfig.get_python_inc ());"`
+			plat_python_path=`$PYTHON -c "$IMPORT_SYSCONFIG; \
+				print (sysconfig.get_python_inc (plat_specific=1));"`
+		fi
 		if test -n "${python_path}"; then
 			if test "${plat_python_path}" != "${python_path}"; then
 				python_path="-I$python_path -I$plat_python_path"
@@ -202,7 +197,7 @@ $ac_distutils_result])
 
 # join all versioning strings, on some systems
 # major/minor numbers could be in different list elements
-from $sysconfig import *
+from sysconfig import *
 e = get_config_var('VERSION')
 if e is not None:
 	print(e)
@@ -225,8 +220,8 @@ EOD`
 		ac_python_libdir=`cat<<EOD | $PYTHON -
 
 # There should be only one
-import $sysconfig
-e = $sysconfig.get_config_var('LIBDIR')
+$IMPORT_SYSCONFIG
+e = sysconfig.get_config_var('LIBDIR')
 if e is not None:
 	print (e)
 EOD`
@@ -234,8 +229,8 @@ EOD`
 		# Now, for the library:
 		ac_python_library=`cat<<EOD | $PYTHON -
 
-import $sysconfig
-c = $sysconfig.get_config_vars()
+$IMPORT_SYSCONFIG
+c = sysconfig.get_config_vars()
 if 'LDVERSION' in c:
 	print ('python'+c[['LDVERSION']])
 else:
@@ -254,9 +249,9 @@ EOD`
 		else
 			# old way: use libpython from python_configdir
 			ac_python_libdir=`$PYTHON -c \
-			  "from $sysconfig import get_python_lib as f; \
+			  "from sysconfig import get_python_lib as f; \
 			  import os; \
-			  print (os.path.join(f(plat_specific=1, standard_lib=1), 'config'));"`
+			  print ('Using old way' + os.path.join(f(plat_specific=1, standard_lib=1), 'config'));"`
 			PYTHON_LIBS="-L$ac_python_libdir -lpython$ac_python_version"
 		fi
 
@@ -273,21 +268,46 @@ EOD`
 	#
 	# Check for site packages
 	#
-	AC_MSG_CHECKING([for Python site-packages path])
+	AC_MSG_CHECKING([for Python site-packages pathXX $PYTHON_SITE_PKG])
 	if test -z "$PYTHON_SITE_PKG"; then
-		PYTHON_SITE_PKG=`$PYTHON -c "import $sysconfig; \
-			print ($sysconfig.get_python_lib(0,0));"`
+	    AC_MSG_CHECKING([Using PYTHON_SITE_PKG])
+		if test "$IMPORT_SYSCONFIG" = "import sysconfig"; then
+			PYTHON_SITE_PKG=`$PYTHON -c "$IMPORT_SYSCONFIG; \
+				print (sysconfig.get_path('purelib'));"`
+		else
+	        AC_MSG_CHECKING([Using old way])
+			# distutils.sysconfig way
+			PYTHON_SITE_PKG=`$PYTHON -c "$IMPORT_SYSCONFIG; \
+				print (sysconfig.get_python_lib(0,0));"`
+		fi
 	fi
 	AC_MSG_RESULT([$PYTHON_SITE_PKG])
 	AC_SUBST([PYTHON_SITE_PKG])
 
+	#
+	# Check for platform-specific site packages
+	#
+	AC_MSG_CHECKING([for Python platform specific site-packages path])
+	if test -z "$PYTHON_SITE_PKG"; then
+		if test "$IMPORT_SYSCONFIG" = "import sysconfig"; then
+			PYTHON_PLATFORM_SITE_PKG=`$PYTHON -c "$IMPORT_SYSCONFIG; \
+				print (sysconfig.get_path('platlib'));"`
+		else
+			# distutils.sysconfig way
+			PYTHON_PLATFORM_SITE_PKG=`$PYTHON -c "$IMPORT_SYSCONFIG; \
+				print (sysconfig.get_python_lib(1,0));"`
+		fi
+	fi
+	AC_MSG_RESULT([$PYTHON_PLATFORM_SITE_PKG])
+	AC_SUBST([PYTHON_PLATFORM_SITE_PKG])
+
 	#
 	# libraries which must be linked in when embedding
 	#
 	AC_MSG_CHECKING(python extra libraries)
 	if test -z "$PYTHON_EXTRA_LIBS"; then
-	   PYTHON_EXTRA_LIBS=`$PYTHON -c "import $sysconfig; \
-                conf = $sysconfig.get_config_var; \
+	   PYTHON_EXTRA_LIBS=`$PYTHON -c "$IMPORT_SYSCONFIG; \
+                conf = sysconfig.get_config_var; \
                 print (conf('LIBS') + ' ' + conf('SYSLIBS'))"`
 	fi
 	AC_MSG_RESULT([$PYTHON_EXTRA_LIBS])
@@ -298,8 +318,8 @@ EOD`
 	#
 	AC_MSG_CHECKING(python extra linking flags)
 	if test -z "$PYTHON_EXTRA_LDFLAGS"; then
-		PYTHON_EXTRA_LDFLAGS=`$PYTHON -c "import $sysconfig; \
-			conf = $sysconfig.get_config_var; \
+		PYTHON_EXTRA_LDFLAGS=`$PYTHON -c "$IMPORT_SYSCONFIG; \
+			conf = sysconfig.get_config_var; \
 			print (conf('LINKFORSHARED'))"`
 	fi
 	AC_MSG_RESULT([$PYTHON_EXTRA_LDFLAGS])