diff --git a/poetry/core/masonry/builder.py b/poetry/core/masonry/builder.py
index 0b7372fa5..eed6fb5fe 100644
--- a/poetry/core/masonry/builder.py
+++ b/poetry/core/masonry/builder.py
@@ -1,3 +1,8 @@
+from typing import Optional
+from typing import Union
+
+from poetry.core.utils._compat import Path
+
 from .builders.sdist import SdistBuilder
 from .builders.wheel import WheelBuilder
 
@@ -11,7 +16,9 @@ class Builder:
     def __init__(self, poetry):
         self._poetry = poetry
 
-    def build(self, fmt="all"):
+    def build(
+        self, fmt, executable=None
+    ):  # type: (str, Optional[Union[str, Path]]) -> None
         if fmt in self._FORMATS:
             builders = [self._FORMATS[fmt]]
         elif fmt == "all":
@@ -20,4 +27,4 @@ def build(self, fmt="all"):
             raise ValueError("Invalid format: {}".format(fmt))
 
         for builder in builders:
-            builder(self._poetry).build()
+            builder(self._poetry, executable=executable).build()
diff --git a/poetry/core/masonry/builders/builder.py b/poetry/core/masonry/builders/builder.py
index 7089a1ae3..8d9eb0d54 100644
--- a/poetry/core/masonry/builders/builder.py
+++ b/poetry/core/masonry/builders/builder.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 import logging
 import re
 import shutil
+import sys
 import tempfile
 
 from collections import defaultdict
@@ -40,13 +41,14 @@ class Builder(object):
     format = None
 
     def __init__(
-        self, poetry, ignore_packages_formats=False
-    ):  # type: ("Poetry", bool) -> None
+        self, poetry, ignore_packages_formats=False, executable=None
+    ):  # type: ("Poetry", bool, Optional[Union[Path, str]]) -> None
         self._poetry = poetry
         self._package = poetry.package
         self._path = poetry.file.parent
         self._original_path = self._path
         self._excluded_files = None
+        self._executable = Path(executable or sys.executable)  # type: Path
 
         packages = []
         for p in self._package.packages:
@@ -87,6 +89,10 @@ def __init__(
 
         self._meta = Metadata.from_package(self._package)
 
+    @property
+    def executable(self):  # type: () -> Path
+        return self._executable
+
     def build(self):
         raise NotImplementedError()
 
diff --git a/poetry/core/masonry/builders/wheel.py b/poetry/core/masonry/builders/wheel.py
index 0f15b1cce..673669068 100644
--- a/poetry/core/masonry/builders/wheel.py
+++ b/poetry/core/masonry/builders/wheel.py
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@
 import shutil
 import stat
 import subprocess
-import sys
 import tempfile
 import zipfile
 
@@ -43,8 +42,8 @@
 class WheelBuilder(Builder):
     format = "wheel"
 
-    def __init__(self, poetry, target_dir=None, original=None):
-        super(WheelBuilder, self).__init__(poetry)
+    def __init__(self, poetry, target_dir=None, original=None, executable=None):
+        super(WheelBuilder, self).__init__(poetry, executable=executable)
 
         self._records = []
         self._original_path = self._path
@@ -53,16 +52,18 @@ def __init__(self, poetry, target_dir=None, original=None):
             self._original_path = original.file.parent
 
     @classmethod
-    def make_in(cls, poetry, directory=None, original=None):
-        wb = WheelBuilder(poetry, target_dir=directory, original=original)
+    def make_in(cls, poetry, directory=None, original=None, executable=None):
+        wb = WheelBuilder(
+            poetry, target_dir=directory, original=original, executable=executable
+        )
         wb.build()
 
         return wb.wheel_filename
 
     @classmethod
-    def make(cls, poetry):
+    def make(cls, poetry, executable=None):
         """Build a wheel in the dist/ directory, and optionally upload it."""
-        cls.make_in(poetry)
+        cls.make_in(poetry, executable=executable)
 
     def build(self):
         logger.info("Building wheel")
@@ -146,12 +147,18 @@ def _build(self, wheel):
 
     def _run_build_command(self, setup):
         subprocess.check_call(
-            [sys.executable, str(setup), "build", "-b", str(self._path / "build")]
+            [
+                self.executable.as_posix(),
+                str(setup),
+                "build",
+                "-b",
+                str(self._path / "build"),
+            ]
         )
 
     def _run_build_script(self, build_script):
         logger.debug("Executing build script: {}".format(build_script))
-        subprocess.check_call([sys.executable, build_script])
+        subprocess.check_call([self.executable.as_posix(), build_script])
 
     def _copy_module(self, wheel):  # type: (zipfile.ZipFile) -> None
         to_add = self.find_files_to_add()