diff --git a/configure b/configure
index ff47a59df..9b44e3d6b 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -19465,9 +19465,15 @@ fi
 
     if test -z "$PYTHON_LIBS"; then :
 
+      # Newer versions of python3-config need --embed to include libpython
+      if $PYTHON_CONFIG 2>&1 | grep embed >/dev/null; then
+        PY_EMBED=--embed
+      else
+        PY_EMBED=
+      fi
       { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: checking python linker flags" >&5
 $as_echo_n "checking python linker flags... " >&6; }
-      PYTHON_LIBS=`$PYTHON_CONFIG --ldflags`
+      PYTHON_LIBS=`$PYTHON_CONFIG --ldflags $PY_EMBED`
       { $as_echo "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: result: $PYTHON_LIBS" >&5
 $as_echo "$PYTHON_LIBS" >&6; }
 
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 12979a153..008f7b5cc 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -2600,8 +2600,14 @@ if test ${USE_PYTHON-'no'} = "yes"; then
     ])
 
     AS_IF([test -z "$PYTHON_LIBS"], [
+      # Newer versions of python3-config need --embed to include libpython
+      if $PYTHON_CONFIG 2>&1 | grep embed >/dev/null; then
+        PY_EMBED=--embed
+      else
+        PY_EMBED=
+      fi
       AC_MSG_CHECKING([python linker flags])
-      PYTHON_LIBS=`$PYTHON_CONFIG --ldflags`
+      PYTHON_LIBS=`$PYTHON_CONFIG --ldflags $PY_EMBED`
       AC_MSG_RESULT([$PYTHON_LIBS])
     ])