diff --git a/configure b/configure
index 49f92ae55a..578a6ead4a 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -12514,6 +12514,7 @@ fi
 if test "$with_python" = "no"; then :
   { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: checking for Python support" >&5
 $as_echo_n "checking for Python support... " >&6; }
+       unset PYTHON
        { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: result: disabled" >&5
 $as_echo "disabled" >&6; }
 else
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 031206ca21..a0b778c270 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -221,6 +221,7 @@ AS_IF([test "$with_python" = "yes"],
 
 AS_IF([test "$with_python" = "no"],
       [AC_MSG_CHECKING([for Python support])
+       unset PYTHON
        AC_MSG_RESULT([disabled])],
       [for p in $with_python
        do