diff --git a/debian/control b/debian/control
index 6c9cfae98..cf7a8538c 100644
--- a/debian/control
+++ b/debian/control
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ Build-Depends: debhelper (>= 9),
                pkg-config,
                libtalloc-dev,
                libsctp-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/libosmocore/
diff --git a/include/Makefile.am b/include/Makefile.am
index a82d6ac43..d76addd0f 100644
--- a/include/Makefile.am
+++ b/include/Makefile.am
@@ -179,7 +179,7 @@ osmocom/core/crc%gen.h: osmocom/core/crcXXgen.h.tpl
 	$(AM_V_GEN)sed -e's/XX/$*/g' $< > $@
 
 osmocom/gsm/gsm0503.h: $(top_srcdir)/utils/conv_gen.py $(top_srcdir)/utils/conv_codes_gsm.py
-	$(AM_V_GEN)python $(top_srcdir)/utils/conv_gen.py gen_header gsm \
+	$(AM_V_GEN)python3 $(top_srcdir)/utils/conv_gen.py gen_header gsm \
 		--target-path $(builddir)/osmocom/gsm
 
 CLEANFILES = osmocom/gsm/gsm0503.h
diff --git a/src/gsm/Makefile.am b/src/gsm/Makefile.am
index f13ba9d32..4a1facaea 100644
--- a/src/gsm/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/gsm/Makefile.am
@@ -49,6 +49,6 @@ EXTRA_DIST = libosmogsm.map
 
 # Convolutional codes generation
 gsm0503_conv.c: $(top_srcdir)/utils/conv_gen.py $(top_srcdir)/utils/conv_codes_gsm.py
-	$(AM_V_GEN)python $(top_srcdir)/utils/conv_gen.py gen_codes gsm
+	$(AM_V_GEN)python3 $(top_srcdir)/utils/conv_gen.py gen_codes gsm
 
 CLEANFILES = gsm0503_conv.c
diff --git a/tests/Makefile.am b/tests/Makefile.am
index e8e4dee15..3a3ea3761 100644
--- a/tests/Makefile.am
+++ b/tests/Makefile.am
@@ -362,7 +362,7 @@ $(TESTSUITE): $(srcdir)/testsuite.at $(srcdir)/package.m4
 	mv $@.tmp $@
 
 conv/gsm0503_test_vectors.c: $(top_srcdir)/utils/conv_gen.py $(top_srcdir)/utils/conv_codes_gsm.py
-	$(AM_V_GEN)python $(top_srcdir)/utils/conv_gen.py gen_vectors gsm \
+	$(AM_V_GEN)python3 $(top_srcdir)/utils/conv_gen.py gen_vectors gsm \
 		--target-path $(builddir)/conv
 
 if ENABLE_EXT_TESTS
diff --git a/utils/conv_codes_gsm.py b/utils/conv_codes_gsm.py
index ec7766058..e189985a8 100644
--- a/utils/conv_codes_gsm.py
+++ b/utils/conv_codes_gsm.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
 # -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
 
 from conv_gen import ConvolutionalCode
diff --git a/utils/conv_gen.py b/utils/conv_gen.py
index 06283d878..d2eda1527 100644
--- a/utils/conv_gen.py
+++ b/utils/conv_gen.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
 
 mod_license = """
 /*