diff --git a/acx_python.m4 b/acx_python.m4
index 4e83d7764..2940971f1 100644
--- a/acx_python.m4
+++ b/acx_python.m4
@@ -22,8 +22,7 @@ AC_DEFUN([AC_PYTHON_DEVEL],[
         # 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
+        if ac_distutils_result=`$PYTHON -c "import distutils" 2>&1`; then
                 AC_MSG_RESULT([yes])
         else
                 AC_MSG_RESULT([no])
diff --git a/configure b/configure
index 5450d166d..a3283e1ed 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -16732,8 +16732,7 @@ fi
         #
         { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: checking for the distutils Python package" >&5
 $as_echo_n "checking for the distutils Python package... " >&6; }
-        ac_distutils_result=`$PYTHON -c "import distutils" 2>&1`
-        if test -z "$ac_distutils_result"; then
+        if ac_distutils_result=`$PYTHON -c "import distutils" 2>&1`; then
                 { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: result: yes" >&5
 $as_echo "yes" >&6; }
         else
diff --git a/doc/Changelog b/doc/Changelog
index fa4899420..0ac5dcdb6 100644
--- a/doc/Changelog
+++ b/doc/Changelog
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+23 March 2017: Wouter
+	- Fix #1239: configure fails to find python distutils if python
+	  prints warning.
+
 22 March 2017: Wouter
 	- Fix #1238: segmentation fault when adding through the remote
 	  interface a per-view local zone to a view with no previous