diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index a4d6027..edfb49f 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ LIBS="$LIBS -lpython$PYTHON_VERSION"
 BOOST_PYTHON_CXXFLAGS="" 
 BOOST_PYTHON_LDFLAGS="" 
 BOOST_PYTHON_LIBS="" 
-BOOST_PYTHON_LIBNAME="boost_python"
+BOOST_PYTHON_LIBNAME="boost_python-$PYTHON_VERSION"
 
 AC_ARG_WITH(
    [boost-include-dir],
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ AC_ARG_WITH(
 
 AC_ARG_WITH(
    [boost-python-libname],
-   [AS_HELP_STRING([--with-boost-python-libname],["boost::python library name (default: boost_python)"])],
+   [AS_HELP_STRING([--with-boost-python-libname],["boost::python library name (default: boost_python-$PYTHON_VERSION)"])],
    [BOOST_PYTHON_LIBNAME="$withval"])
 
 CXXFLAGS="$CXXFLAGS $BOOST_PYTHON_CXXFLAGS -I$PYTHON_INC_DIR"
