diff --git a/debian/changelog b/debian/changelog
index b5b4569f..df24462c 100644
--- a/debian/changelog
+++ b/debian/changelog
@@ -14,6 +14,9 @@ byobu (5.71) unreleased; urgency=low
       which is a bummer
     - also, there's more work to be done, in order to enable/disable
       this via F9/byobu-config
+  * usr/lib/byobu/include/constants: LP: #1278446
+    - ensure that we pick a python that has a proper snack module
+      installed
 
  -- Dustin Kirkland <kirkland@ubuntu.com>  Thu, 16 Jan 2014 17:48:35 -0600
 
diff --git a/usr/lib/byobu/include/constants b/usr/lib/byobu/include/constants
index 58cc782e..e3347f63 100755
--- a/usr/lib/byobu/include/constants
+++ b/usr/lib/byobu/include/constants
@@ -55,12 +55,12 @@ $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 $BYOBU_TEST python >/dev/null 2>&1; then
-		BYOBU_PYTHON="python"
-	elif $BYOBU_TEST python2 >/dev/null 2>&1; then
-		BYOBU_PYTHON="python2"
-	elif $BYOBU_TEST python3 >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+	if python3 -c "import snack" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
 		BYOBU_PYTHON="python3"
+	elif python2 -c "import snack" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+		BYOBU_PYTHON="python2"
+	elif python -c "import snack" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+		BYOBU_PYTHON="python"
 	fi
 fi