diff --git a/debian/control b/debian/control
index 64c487099..2a6fd4a98 100644
--- a/debian/control
+++ b/debian/control
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ Build-Depends: debhelper (>= 9),
                libpcsclite-dev,
                pkg-config,
                libtalloc-dev,
-               python (>= 2.7.6)
+               python3
 Standards-Version: 3.9.8
 Vcs-Git: git://git.osmocom.org/libosmocore.git
 Vcs-Browser: http://git.osmocom.org/gitweb?p=libosmocore.git;a=summary
diff --git a/utils/conv_codes_gsm.py b/utils/conv_codes_gsm.py
index eeed4fd0f..72681e74d 100644
--- a/utils/conv_codes_gsm.py
+++ b/utils/conv_codes_gsm.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#!/usr/bin/python2
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
 # -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
 from conv_gen import ConvolutionalCode
 from conv_gen import poly
diff --git a/utils/conv_gen.py b/utils/conv_gen.py
index 6b6b26775..d2eda1527 100644
--- a/utils/conv_gen.py
+++ b/utils/conv_gen.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#!/usr/bin/python2
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
 
 mod_license = """
 /*