diff --git a/configure b/configure
index 46bc0c91f4..3c11dd00d2 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -4771,6 +4771,12 @@ if test "$gcov" = "yes" ; then
   echo "GCOV=$gcov_tool" >> $config_host_mak
 fi
 
+iotests_common_env="tests/qemu-iotests/common.env"
+
+echo "# Automatically generated by configure - do not modify" > $iotests_common_env
+echo >> $iotests_common_env
+echo "PYTHON='$python'" >> $iotests_common_env
+
 # use included Linux headers
 if test "$linux" = "yes" ; then
   mkdir -p linux-headers
diff --git a/tests/qemu-iotests/031 b/tests/qemu-iotests/031
index 1d920ea87a..5aefb88b60 100755
--- a/tests/qemu-iotests/031
+++ b/tests/qemu-iotests/031
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ _cleanup()
 trap "_cleanup; exit \$status" 0 1 2 3 15
 
 # get standard environment, filters and checks
+. ./common.env
 . ./common.rc
 . ./common.filter
 . ./common.pattern
@@ -56,22 +57,22 @@ for IMGOPTS in "compat=0.10" "compat=1.1"; do
     echo === Create image with unknown header extension ===
     echo
     _make_test_img 64M
-    ./qcow2.py "$TEST_IMG" add-header-ext 0x12345678 "This is a test header extension"
-    ./qcow2.py "$TEST_IMG" dump-header
+    $PYTHON qcow2.py "$TEST_IMG" add-header-ext 0x12345678 "This is a test header extension"
+    $PYTHON qcow2.py "$TEST_IMG" dump-header
     _check_test_img
 
     echo
     echo === Rewrite header with no backing file ===
     echo
     $QEMU_IMG rebase -u -b "" "$TEST_IMG"
-    ./qcow2.py "$TEST_IMG" dump-header
+    $PYTHON qcow2.py "$TEST_IMG" dump-header
     _check_test_img
 
     echo
     echo === Add a backing file and format ===
     echo
     $QEMU_IMG rebase -u -b "/some/backing/file/path" -F host_device "$TEST_IMG"
-    ./qcow2.py "$TEST_IMG" dump-header
+    $PYTHON qcow2.py "$TEST_IMG" dump-header
 done
 
 # success, all done
diff --git a/tests/qemu-iotests/036 b/tests/qemu-iotests/036
index 03b6aa9de7..29c35d1004 100755
--- a/tests/qemu-iotests/036
+++ b/tests/qemu-iotests/036
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ _cleanup()
 trap "_cleanup; exit \$status" 0 1 2 3 15
 
 # get standard environment, filters and checks
+. ./common.env
 . ./common.rc
 . ./common.filter
 . ./common.pattern
@@ -53,15 +54,15 @@ IMGOPTS="compat=1.1"
 echo === Create image with unknown autoclear feature bit ===
 echo
 _make_test_img 64M
-./qcow2.py "$TEST_IMG" set-feature-bit autoclear 63
-./qcow2.py "$TEST_IMG" dump-header
+$PYTHON qcow2.py "$TEST_IMG" set-feature-bit autoclear 63
+$PYTHON qcow2.py "$TEST_IMG" dump-header
 
 echo
 echo === Repair image ===
 echo
 _check_test_img -r all
 
-./qcow2.py "$TEST_IMG" dump-header
+$PYTHON qcow2.py "$TEST_IMG" dump-header
 
 # success, all done
 echo "*** done"
diff --git a/tests/qemu-iotests/039 b/tests/qemu-iotests/039
index b9cbe99560..b7b70300fc 100755
--- a/tests/qemu-iotests/039
+++ b/tests/qemu-iotests/039
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ _cleanup()
 trap "_cleanup; exit \$status" 0 1 2 3 15
 
 # get standard environment, filters and checks
+. ./common.env
 . ./common.rc
 . ./common.filter
 
@@ -58,7 +59,7 @@ _make_test_img $size
 $QEMU_IO -c "write -P 0x5a 0 512" "$TEST_IMG" | _filter_qemu_io
 
 # The dirty bit must not be set
-./qcow2.py "$TEST_IMG" dump-header | grep incompatible_features
+$PYTHON qcow2.py "$TEST_IMG" dump-header | grep incompatible_features
 _check_test_img
 
 echo
@@ -73,7 +74,7 @@ $QEMU_IO -c "write -P 0x5a 0 512" -c "abort" "$TEST_IMG" | _filter_qemu_io
 ulimit -c "$old_ulimit"
 
 # The dirty bit must be set
-./qcow2.py "$TEST_IMG" dump-header | grep incompatible_features
+$PYTHON qcow2.py "$TEST_IMG" dump-header | grep incompatible_features
 _check_test_img
 
 echo
@@ -82,7 +83,7 @@ echo "== Read-only access must still work =="
 $QEMU_IO -r -c "read -P 0x5a 0 512" "$TEST_IMG" | _filter_qemu_io
 
 # The dirty bit must be set
-./qcow2.py "$TEST_IMG" dump-header | grep incompatible_features
+$PYTHON qcow2.py "$TEST_IMG" dump-header | grep incompatible_features
 
 echo
 echo "== Repairing the image file must succeed =="
@@ -90,7 +91,7 @@ echo "== Repairing the image file must succeed =="
 _check_test_img -r all
 
 # The dirty bit must not be set
-./qcow2.py "$TEST_IMG" dump-header | grep incompatible_features
+$PYTHON qcow2.py "$TEST_IMG" dump-header | grep incompatible_features
 
 echo
 echo "== Data should still be accessible after repair =="
@@ -109,12 +110,12 @@ $QEMU_IO -c "write -P 0x5a 0 512" -c "abort" "$TEST_IMG" | _filter_qemu_io
 ulimit -c "$old_ulimit"
 
 # The dirty bit must be set
-./qcow2.py "$TEST_IMG" dump-header | grep incompatible_features
+$PYTHON qcow2.py "$TEST_IMG" dump-header | grep incompatible_features
 
 $QEMU_IO -c "write 0 512" "$TEST_IMG" | _filter_qemu_io
 
 # The dirty bit must not be set
-./qcow2.py "$TEST_IMG" dump-header | grep incompatible_features
+$PYTHON qcow2.py "$TEST_IMG" dump-header | grep incompatible_features
 
 echo
 echo "== Creating an image file with lazy_refcounts=off =="
@@ -128,7 +129,7 @@ $QEMU_IO -c "write -P 0x5a 0 512" -c "abort" "$TEST_IMG" | _filter_qemu_io
 ulimit -c "$old_ulimit"
 
 # The dirty bit must not be set since lazy_refcounts=off
-./qcow2.py "$TEST_IMG" dump-header | grep incompatible_features
+$PYTHON qcow2.py "$TEST_IMG" dump-header | grep incompatible_features
 _check_test_img
 
 echo
@@ -144,8 +145,8 @@ $QEMU_IO -c "write 0 512" "$TEST_IMG" | _filter_qemu_io
 $QEMU_IMG commit "$TEST_IMG"
 
 # The dirty bit must not be set
-./qcow2.py "$TEST_IMG" dump-header | grep incompatible_features
-./qcow2.py "$TEST_IMG".base dump-header | grep incompatible_features
+$PYTHON qcow2.py "$TEST_IMG" dump-header | grep incompatible_features
+$PYTHON qcow2.py "$TEST_IMG".base dump-header | grep incompatible_features
 
 _check_test_img
 TEST_IMG="$TEST_IMG".base _check_test_img
diff --git a/tests/qemu-iotests/054 b/tests/qemu-iotests/054
index c8b7082b4e..a5ebf99450 100755
--- a/tests/qemu-iotests/054
+++ b/tests/qemu-iotests/054
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ _cleanup()
 trap "_cleanup; exit \$status" 0 1 2 3 15
 
 # get standard environment, filters and checks
+. ./common.env
 . ./common.rc
 . ./common.filter
 
@@ -49,7 +50,7 @@ _make_test_img $((1024*1024))T
 echo
 echo "creating too large image (1 EB) using qcow2.py"
 _make_test_img 4G
-./qcow2.py "$TEST_IMG" set-header size $((1024 ** 6))
+$PYTHON qcow2.py "$TEST_IMG" set-header size $((1024 ** 6))
 _check_test_img
 
 # success, all done
diff --git a/tests/qemu-iotests/060 b/tests/qemu-iotests/060
index f0116aab1d..5447b27a1a 100755
--- a/tests/qemu-iotests/060
+++ b/tests/qemu-iotests/060
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ _cleanup()
 trap "_cleanup; exit \$status" 0 1 2 3 15
 
 # get standard environment, filters and checks
+. ./common.env
 . ./common.rc
 . ./common.filter
 
@@ -68,13 +69,13 @@ poke_file "$TEST_IMG" "$l1_offset" "\x80\x00\x00\x00\x00\x03\x00\x00"
 _check_test_img
 
 # The corrupt bit should not be set anyway
-./qcow2.py "$TEST_IMG" dump-header | grep incompatible_features
+$PYTHON qcow2.py "$TEST_IMG" dump-header | grep incompatible_features
 
 # Try to write something, thereby forcing the corrupt bit to be set
 $QEMU_IO -c "$OPEN_RW" -c "write -P 0x2a 0 512" | _filter_qemu_io
 
 # The corrupt bit must now be set
-./qcow2.py "$TEST_IMG" dump-header | grep incompatible_features
+$PYTHON qcow2.py "$TEST_IMG" dump-header | grep incompatible_features
 
 # Try to open the image R/W (which should fail)
 $QEMU_IO -c "$OPEN_RW" -c "read 0 512" 2>&1 | _filter_qemu_io \
@@ -99,19 +100,19 @@ poke_file "$TEST_IMG" "$(($rb_offset+8))" "\x00\x01"
 # Redirect new data cluster onto refcount block
 poke_file "$TEST_IMG" "$l2_offset" "\x80\x00\x00\x00\x00\x02\x00\x00"
 _check_test_img
-./qcow2.py "$TEST_IMG" dump-header | grep incompatible_features
+$PYTHON qcow2.py "$TEST_IMG" dump-header | grep incompatible_features
 $QEMU_IO -c "$OPEN_RW" -c "write -P 0x2a 0 512" | _filter_qemu_io
-./qcow2.py "$TEST_IMG" dump-header | grep incompatible_features
+$PYTHON qcow2.py "$TEST_IMG" dump-header | grep incompatible_features
 
 # Try to fix it
 _check_test_img -r all
 
 # The corrupt bit should be cleared
-./qcow2.py "$TEST_IMG" dump-header | grep incompatible_features
+$PYTHON qcow2.py "$TEST_IMG" dump-header | grep incompatible_features
 
 # Look if it's really really fixed
 $QEMU_IO -c "$OPEN_RW" -c "write -P 0x2a 0 512" | _filter_qemu_io
-./qcow2.py "$TEST_IMG" dump-header | grep incompatible_features
+$PYTHON qcow2.py "$TEST_IMG" dump-header | grep incompatible_features
 
 echo
 echo "=== Testing cluster data reference into inactive L2 table ==="
@@ -124,13 +125,13 @@ $QEMU_IO -c "$OPEN_RW" -c "write -P 2 0 512" | _filter_qemu_io
 poke_file "$TEST_IMG" "$l2_offset_after_snapshot" \
                       "\x80\x00\x00\x00\x00\x04\x00\x00"
 _check_test_img
-./qcow2.py "$TEST_IMG" dump-header | grep incompatible_features
+$PYTHON qcow2.py "$TEST_IMG" dump-header | grep incompatible_features
 $QEMU_IO -c "$OPEN_RW" -c "write -P 3 0 512" | _filter_qemu_io
-./qcow2.py "$TEST_IMG" dump-header | grep incompatible_features
+$PYTHON qcow2.py "$TEST_IMG" dump-header | grep incompatible_features
 _check_test_img -r all
-./qcow2.py "$TEST_IMG" dump-header | grep incompatible_features
+$PYTHON qcow2.py "$TEST_IMG" dump-header | grep incompatible_features
 $QEMU_IO -c "$OPEN_RW" -c "write -P 4 0 512" | _filter_qemu_io
-./qcow2.py "$TEST_IMG" dump-header | grep incompatible_features
+$PYTHON qcow2.py "$TEST_IMG" dump-header | grep incompatible_features
 
 # Check data
 $QEMU_IO -c "$OPEN_RO" -c "read -P 4 0 512" | _filter_qemu_io
diff --git a/tests/qemu-iotests/061 b/tests/qemu-iotests/061
index d3a6b388b5..0de789734f 100755
--- a/tests/qemu-iotests/061
+++ b/tests/qemu-iotests/061
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ _cleanup()
 trap "_cleanup; exit \$status" 0 1 2 3 15
 
 # get standard environment, filters and checks
+. ./common.env
 . ./common.rc
 . ./common.filter
 
@@ -48,9 +49,9 @@ echo "=== Testing version downgrade with zero expansion ==="
 echo
 IMGOPTS="compat=1.1,lazy_refcounts=on" _make_test_img 64M
 $QEMU_IO -c "write -z 0 128k" "$TEST_IMG" | _filter_qemu_io
-./qcow2.py "$TEST_IMG" dump-header
+$PYTHON qcow2.py "$TEST_IMG" dump-header
 $QEMU_IMG amend -o "compat=0.10" "$TEST_IMG"
-./qcow2.py "$TEST_IMG" dump-header
+$PYTHON qcow2.py "$TEST_IMG" dump-header
 $QEMU_IO -c "read -P 0 0 128k" "$TEST_IMG" | _filter_qemu_io
 _check_test_img
 
@@ -59,9 +60,9 @@ echo "=== Testing dirty version downgrade ==="
 echo
 IMGOPTS="compat=1.1,lazy_refcounts=on" _make_test_img 64M
 $QEMU_IO -c "write -P 0x2a 0 128k" -c flush -c abort "$TEST_IMG" | _filter_qemu_io
-./qcow2.py "$TEST_IMG" dump-header
+$PYTHON qcow2.py "$TEST_IMG" dump-header
 $QEMU_IMG amend -o "compat=0.10" "$TEST_IMG"
-./qcow2.py "$TEST_IMG" dump-header
+$PYTHON qcow2.py "$TEST_IMG" dump-header
 $QEMU_IO -c "read -P 0x2a 0 128k" "$TEST_IMG" | _filter_qemu_io
 _check_test_img
 
@@ -69,11 +70,11 @@ echo
 echo "=== Testing version downgrade with unknown compat/autoclear flags ==="
 echo
 IMGOPTS="compat=1.1" _make_test_img 64M
-./qcow2.py "$TEST_IMG" set-feature-bit compatible 42
-./qcow2.py "$TEST_IMG" set-feature-bit autoclear 42
-./qcow2.py "$TEST_IMG" dump-header
+$PYTHON qcow2.py "$TEST_IMG" set-feature-bit compatible 42
+$PYTHON qcow2.py "$TEST_IMG" set-feature-bit autoclear 42
+$PYTHON qcow2.py "$TEST_IMG" dump-header
 $QEMU_IMG amend -o "compat=0.10" "$TEST_IMG"
-./qcow2.py "$TEST_IMG" dump-header
+$PYTHON qcow2.py "$TEST_IMG" dump-header
 _check_test_img
 
 echo
@@ -81,9 +82,9 @@ echo "=== Testing version upgrade and resize ==="
 echo
 IMGOPTS="compat=0.10" _make_test_img 64M
 $QEMU_IO -c "write -P 0x2a 42M 64k" "$TEST_IMG" | _filter_qemu_io
-./qcow2.py "$TEST_IMG" dump-header
+$PYTHON qcow2.py "$TEST_IMG" dump-header
 $QEMU_IMG amend -o "compat=1.1,lazy_refcounts=on,size=128M" "$TEST_IMG"
-./qcow2.py "$TEST_IMG" dump-header
+$PYTHON qcow2.py "$TEST_IMG" dump-header
 $QEMU_IO -c "read -P 0x2a 42M 64k" "$TEST_IMG" | _filter_qemu_io
 _check_test_img
 
@@ -92,9 +93,9 @@ echo "=== Testing dirty lazy_refcounts=off ==="
 echo
 IMGOPTS="compat=1.1,lazy_refcounts=on" _make_test_img 64M
 $QEMU_IO -c "write -P 0x2a 0 128k" -c flush -c abort "$TEST_IMG" | _filter_qemu_io
-./qcow2.py "$TEST_IMG" dump-header
+$PYTHON qcow2.py "$TEST_IMG" dump-header
 $QEMU_IMG amend -o "lazy_refcounts=off" "$TEST_IMG"
-./qcow2.py "$TEST_IMG" dump-header
+$PYTHON qcow2.py "$TEST_IMG" dump-header
 $QEMU_IO -c "read -P 0x2a 0 128k" "$TEST_IMG" | _filter_qemu_io
 _check_test_img
 
diff --git a/tests/qemu-iotests/065 b/tests/qemu-iotests/065
index ab5445f62d..e89b61d70b 100755
--- a/tests/qemu-iotests/065
+++ b/tests/qemu-iotests/065
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python2
+#!/usr/bin/env python
 #
 # Test for additional information emitted by qemu-img info on qcow2
 # images
diff --git a/tests/qemu-iotests/083 b/tests/qemu-iotests/083
index f764534782..6a52c96bba 100755
--- a/tests/qemu-iotests/083
+++ b/tests/qemu-iotests/083
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ tmp=/tmp/$$
 status=1	# failure is the default!
 
 # get standard environment, filters and checks
+. ./common.env
 . ./common.rc
 . ./common.filter
 
@@ -81,7 +82,7 @@ EOF
 		nbd_url="nbd:127.0.0.1:$port:exportname=foo"
 	fi
 
-	./nbd-fault-injector.py $extra_args "127.0.0.1:$port" "$TEST_DIR/nbd-fault-injector.conf" 2>&1 >/dev/null &
+	$PYTHON nbd-fault-injector.py $extra_args "127.0.0.1:$port" "$TEST_DIR/nbd-fault-injector.conf" 2>&1 >/dev/null &
 	wait_for_tcp_port "127.0.0.1:$port"
 	$QEMU_IO -c "read 0 512" "$nbd_url" 2>&1 | _filter_qemu_io | filter_nbd
 
diff --git a/tests/qemu-iotests/check b/tests/qemu-iotests/check
index e2ed5a95f8..ca2ee43d3b 100755
--- a/tests/qemu-iotests/check
+++ b/tests/qemu-iotests/check
@@ -34,6 +34,13 @@ timestamp=${TIMESTAMP:=false}
 # generic initialization
 iam=check
 
+# we need common.env
+if ! . ./common.env
+then
+    echo "$iam: failed to source common.env"
+    exit 1
+fi
+
 # we need common.config
 if ! . ./common.config
 then
@@ -215,9 +222,16 @@ do
 
         start=`_wallclock`
         $timestamp && echo -n "        ["`date "+%T"`"]"
-        [ ! -x $seq ] && chmod u+x $seq # ensure we can run it
+
+        if [ "$(head -n 1 $seq)" == "#!/usr/bin/env python" ]; then
+            run_command="$PYTHON $seq"
+        else
+            [ ! -x $seq ] && chmod u+x $seq # ensure we can run it
+            run_command="./$seq"
+        fi
+
         MALLOC_PERTURB_=${MALLOC_PERTURB_:-$(($RANDOM % 255 + 1))} \
-                ./$seq >$tmp.out 2>&1
+                $run_command >$tmp.out 2>&1
         sts=$?
         $timestamp && _timestamp
         stop=`_wallclock`