diff --git a/cmake/FindPython.cmake b/cmake/FindPython.cmake
index e6023dbc9..7690833c9 100644
--- a/cmake/FindPython.cmake
+++ b/cmake/FindPython.cmake
@@ -33,5 +33,8 @@ include(FindPkgConfig)
 if(ENABLE_PYTHON2)
   pkg_check_modules(PYTHON python2 IMPORTED_TARGET GLOBAL)
 else()
-  pkg_check_modules(PYTHON python3 IMPORTED_TARGET GLOBAL)
+  pkg_check_modules(PYTHON python3-embed IMPORTED_TARGET GLOBAL)
+  if(NOT PYTHON_FOUND)
+    pkg_check_modules(PYTHON python3 IMPORTED_TARGET GLOBAL)
+  endif()
 endif()
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 672ff0e5e..a12b74cb9 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -477,7 +477,10 @@ if test "x$enable_python" = "xyes" ; then
     if test "x$enable_python2" = "xyes" ; then
         PKG_CHECK_MODULES(PYTHON, [python2], [PYTHON_FOUND=yes; PYTHON_VERSION=`$PKGCONFIG --modversion python2`], [PYTHON_FOUND=no])
     else
-        PKG_CHECK_MODULES(PYTHON, [python3], [PYTHON_FOUND=yes; PYTHON_VERSION=`$PKGCONFIG --modversion python3`], [PYTHON_FOUND=no])
+        PKG_CHECK_MODULES(PYTHON, [python3-embed], [PYTHON_FOUND=yes; PYTHON_VERSION=`$PKGCONFIG --modversion python3-embed`], [PYTHON_FOUND=no])
+        if test "x$PYTHON_FOUND" != "xyes"; then
+            PKG_CHECK_MODULES(PYTHON, [python3], [PYTHON_FOUND=yes; PYTHON_VERSION=`$PKGCONFIG --modversion python3`], [PYTHON_FOUND=no])
+        fi
     fi
     if test "x$PYTHON_FOUND" != "xyes" ; then
         AC_MSG_WARN([