diff --git a/debian/changelog b/debian/changelog
index 59ed18e7..76598ef6 100644
--- a/debian/changelog
+++ b/debian/changelog
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 byobu (5.72) unreleased; urgency=low
 
-  * UNRELEASED
+  * usr/lib/byobu/include/constants:
+    - make sure we export this variable, so that we only need to
+      do the expensive test once
 
  -- Dustin Kirkland <kirkland@ubuntu.com>  Mon, 10 Feb 2014 15:38:26 -0600
 
diff --git a/usr/lib/byobu/include/constants b/usr/lib/byobu/include/constants
index e3347f63..143195c3 100755
--- a/usr/lib/byobu/include/constants
+++ b/usr/lib/byobu/include/constants
@@ -56,11 +56,11 @@ $BYOBU_TEST ulimit >/dev/null 2>&1 && export BYOBU_ULIMIT="ulimit" || export BYO
 # Find a suitable python interpreter, if undefined
 if [ -z "$BYOBU_PYTHON" ]; then
 	if python3 -c "import snack" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
-		BYOBU_PYTHON="python3"
+		export BYOBU_PYTHON="python3"
 	elif python2 -c "import snack" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
-		BYOBU_PYTHON="python2"
+		export BYOBU_PYTHON="python2"
 	elif python -c "import snack" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
-		BYOBU_PYTHON="python"
+		export BYOBU_PYTHON="python"
 	fi
 fi