diff --git a/mprof b/mprof
index 192ba10..7a1b773 100755
--- a/mprof
+++ b/mprof
@@ -218,11 +218,15 @@ def run_action():
         options.python = True
     if options.python:
         print("running as a Python program...")
-        if not args[0].startswith("python"):
-            args.insert(0, "python")
+        if not osp.basename(args[0]).startswith("python"):
+            if sys.executable:
+                args.insert(0, sys.executable)
+            else:
+                args.insert(0, "python")
         cmd_line = get_cmd_line(args)
         args[1:1] = ("-m", "memory_profiler", "--timestamp",
                      "-o", mprofile_output)
+        #print(" ".join(args))
         p = subprocess.Popen(args)
     else:
         cmd_line = get_cmd_line(args)