diff --git a/gnu/packages/python-xyz.scm b/gnu/packages/python-xyz.scm
index 0b33fb3a4c..a5c2e60ce4 100644
--- a/gnu/packages/python-xyz.scm
+++ b/gnu/packages/python-xyz.scm
@@ -13529,9 +13529,9 @@ English stemmer.")
          (replace 'check
            (lambda _
              (setenv "PYTHON" (or (which "python3") (which "python")))
-             (setenv "PYCONFIG" (string-append (or (which "python3-config")
-                                                   (which "python-config"))
-                                               " --embed"))
+             (setenv "PYCONFIG" (if (which "python3-config")
+                                    "python3-config --embed"
+                                    "python-config"))
              (setenv "CC" "gcc")
              ;; No need to extend PYTHONPATH to find the built package, since
              ;; the Makefile will build anyway