diff --git a/libtbx/auto_build/bootstrap.py b/libtbx/auto_build/bootstrap.py
index 0d04552c88..75add5dcea 100644
--- a/libtbx/auto_build/bootstrap.py
+++ b/libtbx/auto_build/bootstrap.py
@@ -1671,6 +1671,8 @@ def m_get_conda_python(self):
         elif self.isPlatformMacOSX():
           m_conda_python = os.path.join('python.app', 'Contents',
                                         'MacOS', 'python')
+          if not os.path.isfile(m_conda_python):
+            m_conda_python = os.path.join('bin', 'python')
         return m_conda_python
       # -----------------------------------------------------------------------
 
diff --git a/libtbx/auto_build/conda_build/update_libtbx_env.py b/libtbx/auto_build/conda_build/update_libtbx_env.py
index e3467f9d5d..2cbb708641 100644
--- a/libtbx/auto_build/conda_build/update_libtbx_env.py
+++ b/libtbx/auto_build/conda_build/update_libtbx_env.py
@@ -120,7 +120,9 @@ def update_libtbx_env(default_dir=None):
   env.pythonpath = list()
   sys_executable = sys.executable
   if sys.platform == 'darwin' and 'python.app' not in sys_executable:
-    sys_executable = os.path.join(sys_prefix, 'python.app', 'Contents', 'MacOS', 'python')
+    new_executable = os.path.join(sys_prefix, 'python.app', 'Contents', 'MacOS', 'python')
+    if os.path.isfile(new_executable):
+      sys_executable = new_executable
   env.python_exe = env.as_relocatable_path(sys_executable)
   env.no_bin_python = True
   site_packages_path = None
diff --git a/libtbx/auto_build/install_conda.py b/libtbx/auto_build/install_conda.py
index 07e7b5faec..de2d4616c2 100644
--- a/libtbx/auto_build/install_conda.py
+++ b/libtbx/auto_build/install_conda.py
@@ -438,6 +438,8 @@ def get_conda_python(self, conda_env=None, check_file=None):
       # use python.app for GUI applications
       conda_python = os.path.join(conda_env, 'python.app', 'Contents', 'MacOS',
                                   'python')
+      if not os.path.isfile(conda_python):
+        conda_python = os.path.join(conda_env, 'bin', 'python')
     else:
       conda_python = os.path.join(conda_env, 'bin', 'python')
 
diff --git a/libtbx/auto_build/install_distribution.py b/libtbx/auto_build/install_distribution.py
index 717de9df4a..e3fa8a0cca 100644
--- a/libtbx/auto_build/install_distribution.py
+++ b/libtbx/auto_build/install_distribution.py
@@ -402,6 +402,8 @@ def reconfigure(self, log):
       if 'darwin' in sys.platform:
         base_python = os.path.join(self.base_dir, 'python.app', 'Contents',
                                    'MacOS', 'python')
+        if not os.path.isfile(base_python):
+          base_python = os.path.join(self.base_dir, 'bin', 'python')
       elif 'win32' in sys.platform:
         base_python = os.path.join(self.base_dir, 'python.exe')