diff --git a/lib/spack/spack/build_systems/python.py b/lib/spack/spack/build_systems/python.py
index 01f7bd62be6..5575379b8b2 100644
--- a/lib/spack/spack/build_systems/python.py
+++ b/lib/spack/spack/build_systems/python.py
@@ -173,7 +173,7 @@ def test_imports(self):
 
         # Make sure we are importing the installed modules,
         # not the ones in the source directory
-        python = inspect.getmodule(self).python.path
+        python = inspect.getmodule(self).python
         for module in self.import_modules:
             with test_part(
                 self,