diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 96483318f..4d3014a4b 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ ecbuild_add_option( FEATURE AEC
 ecbuild_add_option( FEATURE PYTHON
     DESCRIPTION "build the ecCodes Python interface"
     DEFAULT ON
-    REQUIRED_PACKAGES Python
+    REQUIRED_PACKAGES "Python VERSION 2.5"
 )
 
 ecbuild_add_option( FEATURE FORTRAN
diff --git a/python/CMakeLists.txt b/python/CMakeLists.txt
index c3b8d8b84..548a51902 100644
--- a/python/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/python/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,7 +1,5 @@
 if( HAVE_PYTHON )
 
-    ecbuild_find_python( VERSION 2.5)
-
     #find_package( SWIG )
     #if( SWIG_FOUND )
     #    include( ${SWIG_USE_FILE} )