diff --git a/core/pythonActionLoop/pythonbuild.py b/core/pythonActionLoop/pythonbuild.py
index 30802c2d..b064f2d0 100755
--- a/core/pythonActionLoop/pythonbuild.py
+++ b/core/pythonActionLoop/pythonbuild.py
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ def build(source_dir, target_file, launcher):
     if os.path.isfile(main):
         cmd += """
 cd %s
-exec python %s "$@"
+exec "$(which python)" %s "$@"
 """ % (source_dir, launcher)
     else:
         cmd += """
diff --git a/tests/src/test/scala/runtime/actionContainers/PythonActionContainerTests.scala b/tests/src/test/scala/runtime/actionContainers/PythonActionContainerTests.scala
index 89d24265..f36b8d99 100644
--- a/tests/src/test/scala/runtime/actionContainers/PythonActionContainerTests.scala
+++ b/tests/src/test/scala/runtime/actionContainers/PythonActionContainerTests.scala
@@ -438,4 +438,22 @@ class PythonActionContainerTests extends BasicActionRunnerTests with WskActorSys
           e should include("Traceback")
       })
   }
+
+  it should "have a valid sys.executable" in {
+    withActionContainer() { c =>
+      val code =
+        """
+          |import sys
+          |def main(args):
+          |    return { "sys": sys.executable }
+        """.stripMargin
+
+      val (initCode, res) = c.init(initPayload(code))
+      initCode should be(200)
+
+      val (runCode, runRes) = c.run(runPayload(JsObject()))
+      runCode should be(200)
+      runRes.get.fields.get("sys").get.toString() should include("python")
+    }
+  }
 }