diff --git a/templates/gitlab-ci-python.yml b/templates/gitlab-ci-python.yml
index 6a37606efbdd0d7bf46f845a7cb5c56323fed1e2..0f07fb64600592c1cd28716db4ecaf2f48624c3b 100644
--- a/templates/gitlab-ci-python.yml
+++ b/templates/gitlab-ci-python.yml
@@ -607,6 +607,17 @@ variables:
     fi
   }
 
+  function enforce_python_cmd() {
+    _p3=$(command -v python3)
+    if [[ "$_p3" ]] && ! command -v python > /dev/null
+    then
+      _p3dir=$(dirname "$_p3")
+      ln -s "$_p3" "$_p3dir/python"
+      if [ -n "$TRACE" ]; then
+        log_info "python3 symlinked to $_p3dir/python"
+      fi
+    fi
+  }
   function guess_build_system() {
     _start_time=$(get_current_ts_ms)
 
@@ -1090,6 +1101,7 @@ stages:
   before_script:
     - !reference [.python-scripts]
     - install_ca_certs "${CUSTOM_CA_CERTS:-$DEFAULT_CA_CERTS}"
+    - enforce_python_cmd
     - cd ${PYTHON_PROJECT_DIR}
     - guess_build_system