diff --git a/ax_python_devel.m4 b/ax_python_devel.m4
index aff04f68..71a04314 100644
--- a/ax_python_devel.m4
+++ b/ax_python_devel.m4
@@ -132,30 +132,15 @@ variable to configure. See ``configure --help'' for reference.
 		fi
 	fi
 
-	#
-	# Check if you have distutils, else fail
-	#
-	AC_MSG_CHECKING([for the distutils Python package])
-	ac_distutils_result=`$PYTHON -c "import distutils" 2>&1`
-	if test $? -eq 0; then
-		AC_MSG_RESULT([yes])
-	else
-		AC_MSG_RESULT([no])
-		AC_MSG_ERROR([cannot import Python module "distutils".
-Please check your Python installation. The error was:
-$ac_distutils_result])
-		PYTHON_VERSION=""
-	fi
-
 	#
 	# Check for Python include path
 	#
 	AC_MSG_CHECKING([for Python include path])
 	if test -z "$PYTHON_CPPFLAGS"; then
-		python_path=`$PYTHON -c "import distutils.sysconfig; \
-			print (distutils.sysconfig.get_python_inc ());"`
-		plat_python_path=`$PYTHON -c "import distutils.sysconfig; \
-			print (distutils.sysconfig.get_python_inc (plat_specific=1));"`
+		python_path=`$PYTHON -c "import sysconfig; \
+			print(sysconfig.get_path('include'));"`
+		plat_python_path=`$PYTHON -c "import sysconfig; \
+			print(sysconfig.get_path('platinclude'));"`
 		if test -n "${python_path}"; then
 			if test "${plat_python_path}" != "${python_path}"; then
 				python_path="-I$python_path -I$plat_python_path"
@@ -179,7 +164,7 @@ $ac_distutils_result])
 
 # join all versioning strings, on some systems
 # major/minor numbers could be in different list elements
-from distutils.sysconfig import *
+from sysconfig import *
 e = get_config_var('VERSION')
 if e is not None:
 	print(e)
@@ -202,8 +187,8 @@ EOD`
 		ac_python_libdir=`cat<<EOD | $PYTHON -
 
 # There should be only one
-import distutils.sysconfig
-e = distutils.sysconfig.get_config_var('LIBDIR')
+import sysconfig
+e = sysconfig.get_config_var('LIBDIR')
 if e is not None:
 	print (e)
 EOD`
@@ -211,8 +196,8 @@ EOD`
 		# Now, for the library:
 		ac_python_library=`cat<<EOD | $PYTHON -
 
-import distutils.sysconfig
-c = distutils.sysconfig.get_config_vars()
+import sysconfig
+c = sysconfig.get_config_vars()
 if 'LDVERSION' in c:
 	print ('python'+c[['LDVERSION']])
 else:
@@ -223,19 +208,9 @@ EOD`
 		# credits goes to momjian, I think. I'd like to put the right name
 		# in the credits, if someone can point me in the right direction... ?
 		#
-		if test -n "$ac_python_libdir" -a -n "$ac_python_library"
-		then
-			# use the official shared library
-			ac_python_library=`echo "$ac_python_library" | sed "s/^lib//"`
-			PYTHON_LIBS="-L$ac_python_libdir -l$ac_python_library"
-		else
-			# old way: use libpython from python_configdir
-			ac_python_libdir=`$PYTHON -c \
-			  "from distutils.sysconfig import get_python_lib as f; \
-			  import os; \
-			  print (os.path.join(f(plat_specific=1, standard_lib=1), 'config'));"`
-			PYTHON_LIBS="-L$ac_python_libdir -lpython$ac_python_version"
-		fi
+		# use the official shared library
+		ac_python_library=`echo "$ac_python_library" | sed "s/^lib//"`
+		PYTHON_LIBS="-L$ac_python_libdir -l$ac_python_library"
 
 		if test -z "PYTHON_LIBS"; then
 			AC_MSG_ERROR([
@@ -252,8 +227,8 @@ EOD`
 	#
 	AC_MSG_CHECKING([for Python site-packages path])
 	if test -z "$PYTHON_SITE_PKG"; then
-		PYTHON_SITE_PKG=`$PYTHON -c "import distutils.sysconfig; \
-			print (distutils.sysconfig.get_python_lib(1,0));"`
+		PYTHON_SITE_PKG=`$PYTHON -c "import sysconfig; \
+			print(sysconfig.get_path('platlib'));"`
 	fi
 	AC_MSG_RESULT([$PYTHON_SITE_PKG])
 	AC_SUBST([PYTHON_SITE_PKG])
@@ -263,8 +238,8 @@ EOD`
 	#
 	AC_MSG_CHECKING(python extra libraries)
 	if test -z "$PYTHON_EXTRA_LIBS"; then
-	   PYTHON_EXTRA_LIBS=`$PYTHON -c "import distutils.sysconfig; \
-                conf = distutils.sysconfig.get_config_var; \
+	   PYTHON_EXTRA_LIBS=`$PYTHON -c "import sysconfig; \
+                conf = sysconfig.get_config_var; \
                 print (conf('LIBS') + ' ' + conf('SYSLIBS'))"`
 	fi
 	AC_MSG_RESULT([$PYTHON_EXTRA_LIBS])
@@ -275,8 +250,8 @@ EOD`
 	#
 	AC_MSG_CHECKING(python extra linking flags)
 	if test -z "$PYTHON_EXTRA_LDFLAGS"; then
-		PYTHON_EXTRA_LDFLAGS=`$PYTHON -c "import distutils.sysconfig; \
-			conf = distutils.sysconfig.get_config_var; \
+		PYTHON_EXTRA_LDFLAGS=`$PYTHON -c "import sysconfig; \
+			conf = sysconfig.get_config_var; \
 			print (conf('LINKFORSHARED'))"`
 	fi
 	AC_MSG_RESULT([$PYTHON_EXTRA_LDFLAGS])