diff --git a/cmd/Makefile.am b/cmd/Makefile.am
index 9dd7b8b4f..0d990789b 100644
--- a/cmd/Makefile.am
+++ b/cmd/Makefile.am
@@ -1,3 +1,8 @@
 SUBDIRS  = zfs zpool zdb zhack zinject zstreamdump ztest
-SUBDIRS += mount_zfs fsck_zfs zvol_id vdev_id arcstat dbufstat zed
-SUBDIRS += arc_summary raidz_test zgenhostid
+SUBDIRS += fsck_zfs vdev_id raidz_test zgenhostid
+
+if USING_PYTHON
+SUBDIRS += arcstat arc_summary dbufstat
+endif
+
+SUBDIRS += mount_zfs zed zvol_id
diff --git a/config/always-python.m4 b/config/always-python.m4
index 858ab7b01..7cfefd9eb 100644
--- a/config/always-python.m4
+++ b/config/always-python.m4
@@ -12,6 +12,17 @@ AC_DEFUN([ZFS_AC_PYTHON_VERSION], [
 	])
 ])
 
+dnl #
+dnl # ZFS_AC_PYTHON_VERSION_IS_2
+dnl # ZFS_AC_PYTHON_VERSION_IS_3
+dnl #
+dnl # Tests if the $PYTHON_VERSION matches 2.x or 3.x.
+dnl #
+AC_DEFUN([ZFS_AC_PYTHON_VERSION_IS_2],
+	[test "${PYTHON_VERSION%%\.*}" = "2"])
+AC_DEFUN([ZFS_AC_PYTHON_VERSION_IS_3],
+	[test "${PYTHON_VERSION%%\.*}" = "3"])
+
 dnl #
 dnl # ZFS_AC_PYTHON_MODULE(module_name, [action-if-true], [action-if-false])
 dnl #
@@ -46,42 +57,36 @@ AC_DEFUN([ZFS_AC_CONFIG_ALWAYS_PYTHON], [
 		[with_python=check])
 
 	AS_CASE([$with_python],
-		[check],
-		[AS_IF([test -x /usr/bin/python3],
-			[PYTHON="python3"],
-			[AS_IF([test -x /usr/bin/python2],
-				[PYTHON="python2"],
-				[PYTHON=""]
-			)]
-		)],
+		[check], [AC_CHECK_PROGS([PYTHON], [python3 python2], [:])],
 		[2*], [PYTHON="python${with_python}"],
 		[*python2*], [PYTHON="${with_python}"],
 		[3*], [PYTHON="python${with_python}"],
 		[*python3*], [PYTHON="${with_python}"],
-		[no], [PYTHON=""],
+		[no], [PYTHON=":"],
 		[AC_MSG_ERROR([Unknown --with-python value '$with_python'])]
 	)
 
-	AS_IF([$PYTHON --version >/dev/null 2>&1], [ /bin/true ], [
-		AC_MSG_ERROR([Cannot find $PYTHON in your system path])
+	AS_IF([test $PYTHON != :], [
+		AS_IF([$PYTHON --version >/dev/null 2>&1],
+			[AM_PATH_PYTHON([2.6], [], [:])],
+			[AC_MSG_ERROR([Cannot find $PYTHON in your system path])]
+		)
 	])
-
-	AM_PATH_PYTHON([2.6], [], [:])
 	AM_CONDITIONAL([USING_PYTHON], [test "$PYTHON" != :])
-	AM_CONDITIONAL([USING_PYTHON_2], [test "${PYTHON_VERSION:0:2}" = "2."])
-	AM_CONDITIONAL([USING_PYTHON_3], [test "${PYTHON_VERSION:0:2}" = "3."])
+	AM_CONDITIONAL([USING_PYTHON_2], [ZFS_AC_PYTHON_VERSION_IS_2])
+	AM_CONDITIONAL([USING_PYTHON_3], [ZFS_AC_PYTHON_VERSION_IS_3])
 
 	dnl #
 	dnl # Minimum supported Python versions for utilities:
 	dnl # Python 2.6.x, or Python 3.4.x
 	dnl #
-	AS_IF([test "${PYTHON_VERSION:0:2}" = "2."], [
-		ZFS_AC_PYTHON_VERSION([>= '2.6'], [ /bin/true ],
+	AS_IF([ZFS_AC_PYTHON_VERSION_IS_2], [
+		ZFS_AC_PYTHON_VERSION([>= '2.6'], [ true ],
 			[AC_MSG_ERROR("Python >= 2.6.x is not available")])
 	])
 
-	AS_IF([test "${PYTHON_VERSION:0:2}" = "3."], [
-		ZFS_AC_PYTHON_VERSION([>= '3.4'], [ /bin/true ],
+	AS_IF([ZFS_AC_PYTHON_VERSION_IS_3], [
+		ZFS_AC_PYTHON_VERSION([>= '3.4'], [ true ],
 			[AC_MSG_ERROR("Python >= 3.4.x is not available")])
 	])
 
diff --git a/config/always-pyzfs.m4 b/config/always-pyzfs.m4
index d74d6f1a7..6f32e98fe 100644
--- a/config/always-pyzfs.m4
+++ b/config/always-pyzfs.m4
@@ -18,7 +18,12 @@ AC_DEFUN([ZFS_AC_CONFIG_ALWAYS_PYZFS], [
 			DEFINE_PYZFS='--without pyzfs'
 		])
 	], [
-		DEFINE_PYZFS=''
+		AS_IF([test $PYTHON != :], [
+			DEFINE_PYZFS=''
+		], [
+			enable_pyzfs=no
+			DEFINE_PYZFS='--without pyzfs'
+		])
 	])
 	AC_SUBST(DEFINE_PYZFS)
 
@@ -26,10 +31,10 @@ AC_DEFUN([ZFS_AC_CONFIG_ALWAYS_PYZFS], [
 	dnl # Require python-devel libraries
 	dnl #
 	AS_IF([test "x$enable_pyzfs" = xcheck  -o "x$enable_pyzfs" = xyes], [
-		AS_IF([test "${PYTHON_VERSION:0:2}" = "2."], [
+		AS_IF([ZFS_AC_PYTHON_VERSION_IS_2], [
 			PYTHON_REQUIRED_VERSION=">= '2.7.0'"
 		], [
-			AS_IF([test "${PYTHON_VERSION:0:2}" = "3."], [
+			AS_IF([ZFS_AC_PYTHON_VERSION_IS_3], [
 				PYTHON_REQUIRED_VERSION=">= '3.4.0'"
 			], [
 				AC_MSG_ERROR("Python $PYTHON_VERSION unknown")