--- a/pythondev.m4
+++ b/pythondev.m4
@@ -8,12 +8,8 @@
 [AC_REQUIRE([AM_PATH_PYTHON])
 AC_MSG_CHECKING(for headers required to compile python extensions)
 dnl deduce PYTHON_INCLUDES
-py_prefix=`$PYTHON -c "import sys; print sys.prefix"`
-py_exec_prefix=`$PYTHON -c "import sys; print sys.exec_prefix"`
-PYTHON_INCLUDES="-I${py_prefix}/include/python${PYTHON_VERSION}"
-if test "$py_prefix" != "$py_exec_prefix"; then
-  PYTHON_INCLUDES="$PYTHON_INCLUDES -I${py_exec_prefix}/include/python${PYTHON_VERSION}"
-fi
+py_includes=`$PYTHON-config --includes`
+PYTHON_INCLUDES="${py_includes}"
 AC_SUBST(PYTHON_INCLUDES)
 dnl check if the headers exist:
 save_CPPFLAGS="$CPPFLAGS"
--- a/python.m4
+++ b/python.m4
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@
   AC_CACHE_CHECK([for $am_display_PYTHON script directory],
     [am_cv_python_pythondir],
     [am_cv_python_pythondir=`$PYTHON -c "from distutils import sysconfig; print sysconfig.get_python_lib(0,0,prefix='$PYTHON_PREFIX')" 2>/dev/null ||
-     echo "$PYTHON_PREFIX/lib/python$PYTHON_VERSION/site-packages"`])
+     echo "$PYTHON_PREFIX/lib/python$PYTHON_VERSION/dist-packages"`])
   AC_SUBST([pythondir], [$am_cv_python_pythondir])
 
   dnl pkgpythondir -- $PACKAGE directory under pythondir.  Was
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@
   AC_CACHE_CHECK([for $am_display_PYTHON extension module directory],
     [am_cv_python_pyexecdir],
     [am_cv_python_pyexecdir=`$PYTHON -c "from distutils import sysconfig; print sysconfig.get_python_lib(1,0,prefix='$PYTHON_EXEC_PREFIX')" 2>/dev/null ||
-     echo "${PYTHON_EXEC_PREFIX}/lib/python${PYTHON_VERSION}/site-packages"`])
+     echo "${PYTHON_EXEC_PREFIX}/lib/python${PYTHON_VERSION}/dist-packages"`])
   AC_SUBST([pyexecdir], [$am_cv_python_pyexecdir])
 
   dnl pkgpyexecdir -- $(pyexecdir)/$(PACKAGE)