diff --git a/build_proton.sh b/build_proton.sh
index 73493f911..f9928540c 100755
--- a/build_proton.sh
+++ b/build_proton.sh
@@ -672,13 +672,16 @@ if [ "$PACKAGE" = true ]; then
 
     cp -a toolmanifest.vdf dist/
     cp -a filelock.py dist/
-    cp -a proton dist/
     cp -a user_settings.sample.py dist/
     if [ "$PLATFORM" == "Darwin" ]; then
-    cp -a dist.LICENSE.osx dist/LICENSE
+        cp -a dist.LICENSE.osx dist/LICENSE
+        sed -e 's/@PYTHON_NAME@/python/' proton.in > dist/proton
     else
-    cp -a dist.LICENSE.lin dist/LICENSE
+        cp -a dist.LICENSE.lin dist/LICENSE
+        #work around Ubuntu 18.04 failing to ship a python by default
+        sed -e 's/@PYTHON_NAME@/python3/' proton.in > dist/proton
     fi
+    chmod 755 dist/proton
     date '+%s' > dist/version
 
     echo "Proton ready in dist/"
diff --git a/proton b/proton.in
similarity index 99%
rename from proton
rename to proton.in
index 70e6d9bcf..265cfd668 100755
--- a/proton
+++ b/proton.in
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
+#!/usr/bin/env @PYTHON_NAME@
 
 #script to launch Wine with the correct environment
 
@@ -509,3 +509,5 @@ else:
     sys.exit(1)
 
 sys.exit(0)
+
+# vim: set syntax=python:
diff --git a/user_settings.sample.py b/user_settings.sample.py
index a3ee53318..084f0c5b7 100755
--- a/user_settings.sample.py
+++ b/user_settings.sample.py
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
-
 #to enable these settings, name this file "user_settings.py"
 
 user_settings = {