diff --git a/m4/ax_python_devel.m4 b/m4/ax_python_devel.m4
--- a/m4/ax_python_devel.m4
+++ b/m4/ax_python_devel.m4
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 # ===========================================================================
-#      https://www.gnu.org/software/autoconf-archive/ax_python_devel.html
+#     https://www.gnu.org/software/autoconf-archive/ax_python_devel.html
 # ===========================================================================
 #
 # SYNOPSIS
@@ -12,8 +12,8 @@
 #   in your configure.ac.
 #
 #   This macro checks for Python and tries to get the include path to
-#   'Python.h'. It provides the $(PYTHON_CPPFLAGS) and $(PYTHON_LDFLAGS)
-#   output variables. It also exports $(PYTHON_EXTRA_LIBS) and
+#   'Python.h'. It provides the $(PYTHON_CPPFLAGS) and $(PYTHON_LIBS) output
+#   variables. It also exports $(PYTHON_EXTRA_LIBS) and
 #   $(PYTHON_EXTRA_LDFLAGS) for embedding Python in your code.
 #
 #   You can search for some particular version of Python by passing a
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@
 #   modified version of the Autoconf Macro, you may extend this special
 #   exception to the GPL to apply to your modified version as well.
 
-#serial 17
+#serial 23
 
 AU_ALIAS([AC_PYTHON_DEVEL], [AX_PYTHON_DEVEL])
 AC_DEFUN([AX_PYTHON_DEVEL],[
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@
 This version of the AC@&t@_PYTHON_DEVEL macro
 doesn't work properly with versions of Python before
 2.1.0. You may need to re-run configure, setting the
-variables PYTHON_CPPFLAGS, PYTHON_LDFLAGS, PYTHON_SITE_PKG,
+variables PYTHON_CPPFLAGS, PYTHON_LIBS, PYTHON_SITE_PKG,
 PYTHON_EXTRA_LIBS and PYTHON_EXTRA_LDFLAGS by hand.
 Moreover, to disable this check, set PYTHON_NOVERSIONCHECK
 to something else than an empty string.
@@ -135,16 +135,25 @@
 	#
 	# Check if you have distutils, else fail
 	#
-	AC_MSG_CHECKING([for the distutils Python package])
-	ac_distutils_result=`$PYTHON -c "import distutils" 2>&1`
-	if test -z "$ac_distutils_result"; then
+	AC_MSG_CHECKING([for the sysconfig Python package])
+	ac_sysconfig_result=`$PYTHON -c "import sysconfig" 2>&1`
+	if test $? -eq 0; then
 		AC_MSG_RESULT([yes])
+		IMPORT_SYSCONFIG="import sysconfig"
 	else
 		AC_MSG_RESULT([no])
-		AC_MSG_ERROR([cannot import Python module "distutils".
+
+		AC_MSG_CHECKING([for the distutils Python package])
+		ac_sysconfig_result=`$PYTHON -c "from distutils import sysconfig" 2>&1`
+		if test $? -eq 0; then
+			AC_MSG_RESULT([yes])
+			IMPORT_SYSCONFIG="from distutils import sysconfig"
+		else
+			AC_MSG_ERROR([cannot import Python module "distutils".
 Please check your Python installation. The error was:
-$ac_distutils_result])
-		PYTHON_VERSION=""
+$ac_sysconfig_result])
+			PYTHON_VERSION=""
+		fi
 	fi
 
 	#
@@ -152,10 +161,19 @@
 	#
 	AC_MSG_CHECKING([for Python include path])
 	if test -z "$PYTHON_CPPFLAGS"; then
-		python_path=`$PYTHON -c "import distutils.sysconfig; \
-			print (distutils.sysconfig.get_python_inc ());"`
-		plat_python_path=`$PYTHON -c "import distutils.sysconfig; \
-			print (distutils.sysconfig.get_python_inc (plat_specific=1));"`
+		if test "$IMPORT_SYSCONFIG" = "import sysconfig"; then
+			# sysconfig module has different functions
+			python_path=`$PYTHON -c "$IMPORT_SYSCONFIG; \
+				print (sysconfig.get_path ('include'));"`
+			plat_python_path=`$PYTHON -c "$IMPORT_SYSCONFIG; \
+				print (sysconfig.get_path ('platinclude'));"`
+		else
+			# old distutils way
+			python_path=`$PYTHON -c "$IMPORT_SYSCONFIG; \
+				print (sysconfig.get_python_inc ());"`
+			plat_python_path=`$PYTHON -c "$IMPORT_SYSCONFIG; \
+				print (sysconfig.get_python_inc (plat_specific=1));"`
+		fi
 		if test -n "${python_path}"; then
 			if test "${plat_python_path}" != "${python_path}"; then
 				python_path="-I$python_path -I$plat_python_path"
@@ -172,14 +190,14 @@
 	# Check for Python library path
 	#
 	AC_MSG_CHECKING([for Python library path])
-	if test -z "$PYTHON_LDFLAGS"; then
+	if test -z "$PYTHON_LIBS"; then
 		# (makes two attempts to ensure we've got a version number
 		# from the interpreter)
 		ac_python_version=`cat<<EOD | $PYTHON -
 
 # join all versioning strings, on some systems
 # major/minor numbers could be in different list elements
-from distutils.sysconfig import *
+from sysconfig import *
 e = get_config_var('VERSION')
 if e is not None:
 	print(e)
@@ -197,7 +215,7 @@
 		# Make the versioning information available to the compiler
 
 		# JW: We don't need it and it interferes with the hack
-		# to detect multiple Pyhton versions
+		# to detect multiple Python versions
 		#AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED([HAVE_PYTHON], ["$ac_python_version"],
                 #                  [If available, contains the Python version number currently in use.])
 
@@ -205,8 +223,8 @@
 		ac_python_libdir=`cat<<EOD | $PYTHON -
 
 # There should be only one
-import distutils.sysconfig
-e = distutils.sysconfig.get_config_var('LIBDIR')
+$IMPORT_SYSCONFIG
+e = sysconfig.get_config_var('LIBDIR')
 if e is not None:
 	print (e)
 EOD`
@@ -214,8 +232,8 @@
 		# Now, for the library:
 		ac_python_library=`cat<<EOD | $PYTHON -
 
-import distutils.sysconfig
-c = distutils.sysconfig.get_config_vars()
+$IMPORT_SYSCONFIG
+c = sysconfig.get_config_vars()
 if 'LDVERSION' in c:
 	print ('python'+c[['LDVERSION']])
 else:
@@ -230,44 +248,67 @@
 		then
 			# use the official shared library
 			ac_python_library=`echo "$ac_python_library" | sed "s/^lib//"`
-			PYTHON_LDFLAGS="-L$ac_python_libdir -l$ac_python_library"
+			PYTHON_LIBS="-L$ac_python_libdir -l$ac_python_library"
 		else
 			# old way: use libpython from python_configdir
 			ac_python_libdir=`$PYTHON -c \
-			  "from distutils.sysconfig import get_python_lib as f; \
+			  "from sysconfig import get_python_lib as f; \
 			  import os; \
 			  print (os.path.join(f(plat_specific=1, standard_lib=1), 'config'));"`
-			PYTHON_LDFLAGS="-L$ac_python_libdir -lpython$ac_python_version"
+			PYTHON_LIBS="-L$ac_python_libdir -lpython$ac_python_version"
 		fi
 
-		if test -z "PYTHON_LDFLAGS"; then
+		if test -z "PYTHON_LIBS"; then
 			AC_MSG_ERROR([
   Cannot determine location of your Python DSO. Please check it was installed with
-  dynamic libraries enabled, or try setting PYTHON_LDFLAGS by hand.
+  dynamic libraries enabled, or try setting PYTHON_LIBS by hand.
 			])
 		fi
 	fi
-	AC_MSG_RESULT([$PYTHON_LDFLAGS])
-	AC_SUBST([PYTHON_LDFLAGS])
+	AC_MSG_RESULT([$PYTHON_LIBS])
+	AC_SUBST([PYTHON_LIBS])
 
 	#
 	# Check for site packages
 	#
 	AC_MSG_CHECKING([for Python site-packages path])
 	if test -z "$PYTHON_SITE_PKG"; then
-		PYTHON_SITE_PKG=`$PYTHON -c "import distutils.sysconfig; \
-			print (distutils.sysconfig.get_python_lib(0,0));"`
+		if test "$IMPORT_SYSCONFIG" = "import sysconfig"; then
+			PYTHON_SITE_PKG=`$PYTHON -c "$IMPORT_SYSCONFIG; \
+				print (sysconfig.get_path('purelib'));"`
+		else
+			# distutils.sysconfig way
+			PYTHON_SITE_PKG=`$PYTHON -c "$IMPORT_SYSCONFIG; \
+				print (sysconfig.get_python_lib(0,0));"`
+		fi
 	fi
 	AC_MSG_RESULT([$PYTHON_SITE_PKG])
 	AC_SUBST([PYTHON_SITE_PKG])
 
+	#
+	# Check for platform-specific site packages
+	#
+	AC_MSG_CHECKING([for Python platform specific site-packages path])
+	if test -z "$PYTHON_SITE_PKG"; then
+		if test "$IMPORT_SYSCONFIG" = "import sysconfig"; then
+			PYTHON_PLATFORM_SITE_PKG=`$PYTHON -c "$IMPORT_SYSCONFIG; \
+				print (sysconfig.get_path('platlib'));"`
+		else
+			# distutils.sysconfig way
+			PYTHON_PLATFORM_SITE_PKG=`$PYTHON -c "$IMPORT_SYSCONFIG; \
+				print (sysconfig.get_python_lib(1,0));"`
+		fi
+	fi
+	AC_MSG_RESULT([$PYTHON_PLATFORM_SITE_PKG])
+	AC_SUBST([PYTHON_PLATFORM_SITE_PKG])
+
 	#
 	# libraries which must be linked in when embedding
 	#
 	AC_MSG_CHECKING(python extra libraries)
 	if test -z "$PYTHON_EXTRA_LIBS"; then
-	   PYTHON_EXTRA_LIBS=`$PYTHON -c "import distutils.sysconfig; \
-                conf = distutils.sysconfig.get_config_var; \
+	   PYTHON_EXTRA_LIBS=`$PYTHON -c "$IMPORT_SYSCONFIG; \
+                conf = sysconfig.get_config_var; \
                 print (conf('LIBS') + ' ' + conf('SYSLIBS'))"`
 	fi
 	AC_MSG_RESULT([$PYTHON_EXTRA_LIBS])
@@ -278,8 +319,8 @@
 	#
 	AC_MSG_CHECKING(python extra linking flags)
 	if test -z "$PYTHON_EXTRA_LDFLAGS"; then
-		PYTHON_EXTRA_LDFLAGS=`$PYTHON -c "import distutils.sysconfig; \
-			conf = distutils.sysconfig.get_config_var; \
+		PYTHON_EXTRA_LDFLAGS=`$PYTHON -c "$IMPORT_SYSCONFIG; \
+			conf = sysconfig.get_config_var; \
 			print (conf('LINKFORSHARED'))"`
 	fi
 	AC_MSG_RESULT([$PYTHON_EXTRA_LDFLAGS])
@@ -291,8 +332,10 @@
 	AC_MSG_CHECKING([consistency of all components of python development environment])
 	# save current global flags
 	ac_save_LIBS="$LIBS"
+	ac_save_LDFLAGS="$LDFLAGS"
 	ac_save_CPPFLAGS="$CPPFLAGS"
-	LIBS="$ac_save_LIBS $PYTHON_LDFLAGS $PYTHON_EXTRA_LDFLAGS $PYTHON_EXTRA_LIBS"
+	LIBS="$ac_save_LIBS $PYTHON_LIBS $PYTHON_EXTRA_LIBS $PYTHON_EXTRA_LIBS"
+	LDFLAGS="$ac_save_LDFLAGS $PYTHON_EXTRA_LDFLAGS"
 	CPPFLAGS="$ac_save_CPPFLAGS $PYTHON_CPPFLAGS"
 	AC_LANG_PUSH([C])
 	AC_LINK_IFELSE([
@@ -303,15 +346,17 @@
 	# turn back to default flags
 	CPPFLAGS="$ac_save_CPPFLAGS"
 	LIBS="$ac_save_LIBS"
+	LDFLAGS="$ac_save_LDFLAGS"
 
 	AC_MSG_RESULT([$pythonexists])
 
         if test ! "x$pythonexists" = "xyes"; then
+        # gpgme: only warn here, no error, as we are looking for multiple versions
 	   AC_MSG_WARN([
   Could not link test program to Python. Maybe the main Python library has been
   installed in some non-standard library path. If so, pass it to configure,
-  via the LDFLAGS environment variable.
-  Example: ./configure LDFLAGS="-L/usr/non-standard-path/python/lib"
+  via the LIBS environment variable.
+  Example: ./configure LIBS="-L/usr/non-standard-path/python/lib"
   ============================================================================
    You probably have to install the development version of the Python package
    for your distribution.  The exact name of this package varies among them.
@@ -323,4 +368,4 @@
 	#
 	# all done!
 	#
-])
+])
\ No newline at end of file