diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/doxygen/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/doxygen/package.py
index 5a7a548dd9b..d62edbfa8fd 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/doxygen/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/doxygen/package.py
@@ -103,3 +103,12 @@ def patch(self):
                     'set(ICONV_IN_GLIBC FALSE)',
                     join_path('cmake', 'FindIconv.cmake'),
                     string=True)
+
+    def cmake_args(self):
+        args = [
+            # Doxygen's build system uses CMake's deprecated `FindPythonInterp`,
+            # which can get confused by other `python` executables in the PATH.
+            # See issue: https://github.com/spack/spack/issues/28215
+            self.define('PYTHON_EXECUTABLE', self.spec['python'].command.path)
+        ]
+        return args