diff --git a/package/python/python.mk b/package/python/python.mk
index feff64411e..8a2ba65160 100644
--- a/package/python/python.mk
+++ b/package/python/python.mk
@@ -192,9 +192,9 @@ PYTHON_POST_INSTALL_STAGING_HOOKS += PYTHON_INSTALL_STAGING_PYTHON_CONFIG_SYMLIN
 PYTHON_AUTORECONF = YES
 
 # Some packages may have build scripts requiring python2.
-# Only install the python symlink in the host tree if python2 is enabled
-# for the target.
-ifeq ($(BR2_PACKAGE_PYTHON),y)
+# Only install the python symlink in the host tree if python3 is not enabled
+# for the target, otherwise the default python program may be missing.
+ifneq ($(BR2_PACKAGE_PYTHON3),y)
 define HOST_PYTHON_INSTALL_PYTHON_SYMLINK
 	ln -sf python2 $(HOST_DIR)/usr/bin/python
 	ln -sf python2-config $(HOST_DIR)/usr/bin/python-config