diff --git a/src/poetry/console/commands/new.py b/src/poetry/console/commands/new.py
index 968a3a2a90b..2a86ecb5e4d 100644
--- a/src/poetry/console/commands/new.py
+++ b/src/poetry/console/commands/new.py
@@ -1,7 +1,5 @@
 from __future__ import annotations
 
-import sys
-
 from contextlib import suppress
 
 from cleo.helpers import argument
@@ -31,8 +29,9 @@ def handle(self) -> int:
 
         from poetry.core.vcs.git import GitConfig
 
+        from poetry.config.config import Config
         from poetry.layouts import layout
-        from poetry.utils.env import SystemEnv
+        from poetry.utils.env import EnvManager
 
         if self.io.input.option("directory"):
             self.line_error(
@@ -71,8 +70,16 @@ def handle(self) -> int:
             if author_email:
                 author += f" <{author_email}>"
 
-        current_env = SystemEnv(Path(sys.executable))
-        default_python = "^" + ".".join(str(v) for v in current_env.version_info[:2])
+        poetry_config = Config.create()
+        default_python = "^" + ".".join(
+            str(v)
+            for v in EnvManager.get_python_version(
+                prefer_active_python=poetry_config.get(
+                    "virtualenvs.prefer-active-python"
+                ),
+                io=self.io,
+            )[:2]
+        )
 
         layout_ = layout_cls(
             name,
diff --git a/tests/console/commands/test_new.py b/tests/console/commands/test_new.py
index 79f09e20f27..58560b01e89 100644
--- a/tests/console/commands/test_new.py
+++ b/tests/console/commands/test_new.py
@@ -1,7 +1,11 @@
 from __future__ import annotations
 
+import subprocess
+import sys
+
 from pathlib import Path
 from typing import TYPE_CHECKING
+from typing import Any
 
 import pytest
 
@@ -10,7 +14,9 @@
 
 if TYPE_CHECKING:
     from cleo.testers.command_tester import CommandTester
+    from pytest_mock import MockerFixture
 
+    from poetry.config.config import Config
     from poetry.poetry import Poetry
     from tests.types import CommandTesterFactory
 
@@ -170,3 +176,47 @@ def test_command_new_with_readme(fmt: str | None, tester: CommandTester, tmp_dir
 
     poetry = verify_project_directory(path, package, package, None)
     assert poetry.local_config.get("readme") == f"README.{fmt or 'md'}"
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    ["prefer_active", "python"],
+    [
+        (True, "1.1"),
+        (False, f"{sys.version_info[0]}.{sys.version_info[1]}"),
+    ],
+)
+def test_respect_prefer_active_on_new(
+    prefer_active: bool,
+    python: str,
+    config: Config,
+    mocker: MockerFixture,
+    tester: CommandTester,
+    tmp_dir: str,
+):
+    from poetry.utils.env import GET_PYTHON_VERSION_ONELINER
+
+    orig_check_output = subprocess.check_output
+
+    def mock_check_output(cmd: str, *_: Any, **__: Any) -> str:
+        if GET_PYTHON_VERSION_ONELINER in cmd:
+            return "1.1.1"
+
+        return orig_check_output(cmd, *_, **__)
+
+    mocker.patch("subprocess.check_output", side_effect=mock_check_output)
+
+    config.config["virtualenvs"]["prefer-active-python"] = prefer_active
+
+    package = "package"
+    path = Path(tmp_dir) / package
+    options = [path.as_posix()]
+    tester.execute(" ".join(options))
+
+    pyproject_file = path / "pyproject.toml"
+
+    expected = f"""\
+[tool.poetry.dependencies]
+python = "^{python}"
+"""
+
+    assert expected in pyproject_file.read_text()