diff --git a/tests/Makefile.include b/tests/Makefile.include
index 50237f073a..fae2dd0f3c 100644
--- a/tests/Makefile.include
+++ b/tests/Makefile.include
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ TARGETS=$(patsubst libqemu-%.fa, %, $(filter libqemu-%.fa, $(ninja-targets)))
 TESTS_VENV_DIR=$(BUILD_DIR)/tests/venv
 TESTS_VENV_REQ=$(SRC_PATH)/tests/requirements.txt
 TESTS_RESULTS_DIR=$(BUILD_DIR)/tests/results
-TESTS_PYTHON=$(TESTS_VENV_DIR)/bin/python
+TESTS_PYTHON=$(TESTS_VENV_DIR)/bin/python3
 ifndef AVOCADO_TESTS
 	AVOCADO_TESTS=tests/avocado
 endif