diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 4d603dbda90..0237e03c6e0 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -276,12 +276,12 @@ java-test:
 	mvn -f desktop/libs/hadoop/java/pom.xml test
 
 test: java-test
-	DESKTOP_DEBUG=1 $(BLD_DIR_BIN)/hue test fast --with-xunit
+	DESKTOP_DEBUG=1 $(ENV_PYTHON) $(BLD_DIR_BIN)/hue test fast --with-xunit
 
 test-slow: java-test
-	DESKTOP_DEBUG=1 $(BLD_DIR_BIN)/hue test all --with-xunit --with-cover
+	DESKTOP_DEBUG=1 $(ENV_PYTHON) $(BLD_DIR_BIN)/hue test all --with-xunit --with-cover
 	$(BLD_DIR_BIN)/coverage xml
 
 start-dev:
-	DESKTOP_DEBUG=1 $(BLD_DIR_BIN)/hue runserver_plus
+	DESKTOP_DEBUG=1 $(ENV_PYTHON) $(BLD_DIR_BIN)/hue runserver_plus
 # END DEV ONLY >>>>
diff --git a/Makefile.vars b/Makefile.vars
index ae21778f914..b6f9864a284 100644
--- a/Makefile.vars
+++ b/Makefile.vars
@@ -58,7 +58,6 @@ HADOOP_HOME ?= /usr/lib/hadoop
 BLD_DIR := $(ROOT)/build
 BLD_DIR_ENV := $(BLD_DIR)/env
 BLD_DIR_BIN := $(BLD_DIR_ENV)/bin
-ENV_EASY_INSTALL := $(BLD_DIR_BIN)/easy_install
 
 THIRDPARTY_DIR := $(ROOT)/ext/thirdparty
 THIRDPARTY_JS_DIR := $(THIRDPARTY_DIR)/js
@@ -71,6 +70,15 @@ ASPECTJ_DIR := $(THIRDPARTY_DIR)/java/aspectj-1.6.5/
 ENV_PYTHON := $(BLD_DIR_ENV)/bin/$(notdir $(SYS_PYTHON))
 ENV_PYTHON_VERSION = $(shell $(ENV_PYTHON) -c 'import sys; print "python%d.%d"% sys.version_info[:2]')
 
+
+##############################
+# ENV_EASY_INSTALL uses the easy_install script installed in the virtual
+# environment. It must be called as an argument to ENV_PYTHON so the 
+# problem of the shebang being truncated at 80 characters in most kernels
+# doesn't arise.
+##############################
+ENV_EASY_INSTALL := $(ENV_PYTHON) $(BLD_DIR_BIN)/easy_install
+
 ##############################
 # This version is substituted through to the tarballs and packages.
 ##############################
diff --git a/desktop/Makefile b/desktop/Makefile
index 7b9bf36347c..0075fd434c1 100644
--- a/desktop/Makefile
+++ b/desktop/Makefile
@@ -84,8 +84,8 @@ $(DESKTOP_DB): $(BLD_DIR_BIN)/hue
 	  rm -f $@ ; \
 	fi
 	@echo "--- Syncing/updating database at $@"
-	@$(BLD_DIR_BIN)/hue syncdb --noinput
-	@$(BLD_DIR_BIN)/hue migrate
+	@$(ENV_PYTHON) $(BLD_DIR_BIN)/hue syncdb --noinput
+	@$(ENV_PYTHON) $(BLD_DIR_BIN)/hue migrate
 
 # Targets that simply recurse into all of the applications
 ENV_INSTALL_TARGETS := $(APPS:%=.recursive-env-install/%)