diff --git a/rpm/generic/zfs.spec.in b/rpm/generic/zfs.spec.in
index 8cf13023f..47313a6b5 100644
--- a/rpm/generic/zfs.spec.in
+++ b/rpm/generic/zfs.spec.in
@@ -87,7 +87,19 @@
 %define __python                  %{__use_python}
 %define __python_pkg_version      %{__use_python_pkg_version}
 %endif
-%define __python_sitelib          %(%{__python} -Esc "from distutils.sysconfig import get_python_lib; print(get_python_lib())" 2>/dev/null || %{__python} -Esc "import sysconfig; print(sysconfig.get_path('purelib'))")
+%define __python_sitelib          %(%{__python} -Esc "
+import sysconfig;
+if hasattr(sysconfig, 'get_default_scheme'):
+    scheme = sysconfig.get_default_scheme()
+else:
+    scheme = sysconfig._get_default_scheme()
+if scheme == 'posix_local':
+    scheme = 'posix_prefix'
+prefix = '%{_prefix}'
+if prefix == 'NONE':
+    prefix = '%{ac_default_prefix}'
+sitedir = sysconfig.get_path('purelib', scheme, vars={'base': prefix})
+print(sitedir);" 2>/dev/null || %{__python} -Esc "from distutils import sysconfig; print(sysconfig.get_python_lib(0,0))")
 
 Name:           @PACKAGE@
 Version:        @VERSION@