diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index 4522784971..e293e4fc34 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ SUBDIRS = src
 .PHONY: deploy FORCE
 
 GZIP_ENV="-9n"
+export PYTHONPATH
 
 if BUILD_BITCOIN_LIBS
 pkgconfigdir = $(libdir)/pkgconfig
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index b555b11ff9..1aa6aac4bf 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -65,6 +65,8 @@ AC_PATH_PROG(CCACHE,ccache)
 AC_PATH_PROG(XGETTEXT,xgettext)
 AC_PATH_PROG(HEXDUMP,hexdump)
 
+AC_ARG_VAR(PYTHONPATH, Augments the default search path for python module files)
+
 dnl pkg-config check.
 PKG_PROG_PKG_CONFIG
 
diff --git a/depends/config.site.in b/depends/config.site.in
index 873f66018d..984ddb1e62 100644
--- a/depends/config.site.in
+++ b/depends/config.site.in
@@ -66,6 +66,7 @@ CXX="@CXX@"
 OBJC="${CC}"
 OBJCXX="${CXX}"
 CCACHE=$prefix/native/bin/ccache
+PYTHONPATH=$prefix/native/lib/python/dist-packages:$PYTHONPATH
 
 if test -n "@AR@"; then
   AR=@AR@