diff --git a/confluent_client/confluent_client.spec.tmpl b/confluent_client/confluent_client.spec.tmpl
index 5317b0c6..68e045a4 100644
--- a/confluent_client/confluent_client.spec.tmpl
+++ b/confluent_client/confluent_client.spec.tmpl
@@ -24,10 +24,10 @@ a confluent server.
 %setup -n %{name}-%{version} -n %{name}-%{version}
 
 %build
-python setup.py build
+python2 setup.py build
 
 %install
-python setup.py install --single-version-externally-managed -O1 --root=$RPM_BUILD_ROOT --record=INSTALLED_FILES --install-scripts=/opt/confluent/bin --install-purelib=/opt/confluent/lib/python
+python2 setup.py install --single-version-externally-managed -O1 --root=$RPM_BUILD_ROOT --record=INSTALLED_FILES --install-scripts=/opt/confluent/bin --install-purelib=/opt/confluent/lib/python
 
 
 %clean
diff --git a/confluent_common/confluent_common.spec.tmpl b/confluent_common/confluent_common.spec.tmpl
index 18461bba..94a1ea73 100644
--- a/confluent_common/confluent_common.spec.tmpl
+++ b/confluent_common/confluent_common.spec.tmpl
@@ -22,10 +22,10 @@ This provides the modules common for both client and server
 %setup -n %{name}-%{version} -n %{name}-%{version}
 
 %build
-python setup.py build
+python2 setup.py build
 
 %install
-python setup.py install --single-version-externally-managed -O1 --root=$RPM_BUILD_ROOT --record=INSTALLED_FILES --install-purelib=/opt/confluent/lib/python --install-scripts=/opt/confluent/bin
+python2 setup.py install --single-version-externally-managed -O1 --root=$RPM_BUILD_ROOT --record=INSTALLED_FILES --install-purelib=/opt/confluent/lib/python --install-scripts=/opt/confluent/bin
 
 %clean
 rm -rf $RPM_BUILD_ROOT
diff --git a/confluent_server/confluent_server.spec.tmpl b/confluent_server/confluent_server.spec.tmpl
index 53fa067c..d5e4111c 100644
--- a/confluent_server/confluent_server.spec.tmpl
+++ b/confluent_server/confluent_server.spec.tmpl
@@ -23,10 +23,10 @@ Server for console management and systems management aggregation
 %setup -n %{name}-%{version} -n %{name}-%{version}
 
 %build
-python setup.py build
+python2 setup.py build
 
 %install
-python setup.py install --single-version-externally-managed -O1 --root=$RPM_BUILD_ROOT --record=INSTALLED_FILES.bare --install-purelib=/opt/confluent/lib/python --install-scripts=/opt/confluent/bin
+python2 setup.py install --single-version-externally-managed -O1 --root=$RPM_BUILD_ROOT --record=INSTALLED_FILES.bare --install-purelib=/opt/confluent/lib/python --install-scripts=/opt/confluent/bin
 for file in $(grep confluent/__init__.py INSTALLED_FILES.bare); do
     rm $RPM_BUILD_ROOT/$file
 done