diff --git a/diskimage_builder/lib/disk-image-create b/diskimage_builder/lib/disk-image-create
index 5fc40143..564077d2 100644
--- a/diskimage_builder/lib/disk-image-create
+++ b/diskimage_builder/lib/disk-image-create
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ if [ -z "$_LIB" ]; then
     exit 1
 fi
 
-_BASE_ELEMENT_DIR=$(python -c '
+_BASE_ELEMENT_DIR=$(${DIB_PYTHON_EXEC:-python} -c '
 import diskimage_builder.paths
 diskimage_builder.paths.show_path("elements")')
 
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ function show_options () {
 }
 
 function show_version() {
-    python -c "from diskimage_builder import version; print(version.version_info.version_string())"
+    ${DIB_PYTHON_EXEC:-python} -c "from diskimage_builder import version; print(version.version_info.version_string())"
 }
 
 DIB_DEBUG_TRACE=${DIB_DEBUG_TRACE:-0}