diff -ru a/config/python.m4 b/config/python.m4
--- a/config/python.m4	2011-08-17 14:09:35.000000000 +0100
+++ b/config/python.m4	2011-08-18 07:49:35.000000000 +0100
@@ -70,7 +70,13 @@
 else
 	# Old way: use libpython from python_configdir
 	python_libdir="${python_configdir}"
-	python_libspec="-L${python_libdir} -lpython${python_ldversion}"
+	# If available : use python_ldversion
+	if test x"${python_ldversion}" != x""
+	then
+		python_libspec="-L${python_libdir} -lpython${python_ldversion}"
+	else
+		python_libspec="-L${python_libdir} -lpython${python_version}"
+	fi
 fi
 
 python_additional_libs=`${PYTHON} -c "import distutils.sysconfig,string; print(' '.join(filter(None,distutils.sysconfig.get_config_vars('LIBS','LIBC','LIBM','BASEMODLIBS'))))"`
diff -ru a/configure b/configure
--- a/configure	2011-08-17 14:09:35.000000000 +0100
+++ b/configure	2011-08-18 07:53:42.000000000 +0100
@@ -7267,7 +7267,13 @@
 else
 	# Old way: use libpython from python_configdir
 	python_libdir="${python_configdir}"
-	python_libspec="-L${python_libdir} -lpython${python_ldversion}"
+	# If available : use python_ldversion
+	if test x"${python_ldversion}" != x""
+	then
+		python_libspec="-L${python_libdir} -lpython${python_ldversion}"
+	else
+		python_libspec="-L${python_libdir} -lpython${python_version}"
+	fi
 fi
 
 python_additional_libs=`${PYTHON} -c "import distutils.sysconfig,string; print(' '.join(filter(None,distutils.sysconfig.get_config_vars('LIBS','LIBC','LIBM','BASEMODLIBS'))))"`