diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index bcac13f7..352ac8b8 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -392,6 +392,11 @@ if test "$found_py" = "1" -o "$found_py2" = "1" -o "$found_py3" = "1"; then
 	PYTHON_VERSIONS=
 	unset PYTHON
 	unset PYTHON_VERSION
+	unset PYTHON_CPPFLAGS
+	unset PYTHON_LDFLAGS
+	unset PYTHON_SITE_PKG
+	unset PYTHON_EXTRA_LIBS
+	unset PYTHON_EXTRA_LDFLAGS
 	unset ac_cv_path_PYTHON
 	unset am_cv_pathless_PYTHON
 	unset am_cv_python_version
@@ -401,6 +406,7 @@ if test "$found_py" = "1" -o "$found_py2" = "1" -o "$found_py3" = "1"; then
 
 	if test "$found_py" = "1" -o "$found_py2" = "1"; then
 	    AM_PATH_PYTHON([2.7])
+	    AX_PYTHON_DEVEL
 	    if test "$PYTHON"; then
 		PYTHONS="$(echo $PYTHONS $PYTHON)"
 		PYTHON_VERSIONS="$(echo $PYTHON_VERSIONS $PYTHON_VERSION)"
@@ -411,6 +417,11 @@ if test "$found_py" = "1" -o "$found_py2" = "1" -o "$found_py3" = "1"; then
 	    # Reset everything, so that we can look for another Python.
 	    unset PYTHON
 	    unset PYTHON_VERSION
+	    unset PYTHON_CPPFLAGS
+	    unset PYTHON_LDFLAGS
+	    unset PYTHON_SITE_PKG
+	    unset PYTHON_EXTRA_LIBS
+	    unset PYTHON_EXTRA_LDFLAGS
 	    unset ac_cv_path_PYTHON
 	    unset am_cv_pathless_PYTHON
 	    unset am_cv_python_version
@@ -418,6 +429,7 @@ if test "$found_py" = "1" -o "$found_py2" = "1" -o "$found_py3" = "1"; then
 	    unset am_cv_python_pythondir
 	    unset am_cv_python_pyexecdir
 	    AM_PATH_PYTHON([3.4])
+	    AX_PYTHON_DEVEL
 	    if test "$PYTHON"; then
 		PYTHONS="$(echo $PYTHONS $PYTHON)"
 		PYTHON_VERSIONS="$(echo $PYTHON_VERSIONS $PYTHON_VERSION)"
diff --git a/m4/m4_ax_swig_python.m4 b/m4/m4_ax_swig_python.m4
deleted file mode 100644
index bf22558f..00000000
--- a/m4/m4_ax_swig_python.m4
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,64 +0,0 @@
-# ===========================================================================
-#      http://www.gnu.org/software/autoconf-archive/ax_swig_python.html
-# ===========================================================================
-#
-# SYNOPSIS
-#
-#   AX_SWIG_PYTHON([use-shadow-classes = {no, yes}])
-#
-# DESCRIPTION
-#
-#   Checks for Python and provides the $(AX_SWIG_PYTHON_CPPFLAGS), and
-#   $(AX_SWIG_PYTHON_OPT) output variables.
-#
-#   $(AX_SWIG_PYTHON_OPT) contains all necessary SWIG options to generate
-#   code for Python. Shadow classes are enabled unless the value of the
-#   optional first argument is exactly 'no'. If you need multi module
-#   support (provided by the AX_SWIG_MULTI_MODULE_SUPPORT macro) use
-#   $(AX_SWIG_PYTHON_LIBS) to link against the appropriate library. It
-#   contains the SWIG Python runtime library that is needed by the type
-#   check system for example.
-#
-# LICENSE
-#
-#   Copyright (c) 2008 Sebastian Huber <sebastian-huber@web.de>
-#   Copyright (c) 2008 Alan W. Irwin
-#   Copyright (c) 2008 Rafael Laboissiere <rafael@laboissiere.net>
-#   Copyright (c) 2008 Andrew Collier
-#
-#   This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
-#   under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the
-#   Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or (at your
-#   option) any later version.
-#
-#   This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but
-#   WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
-#   MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU General
-#   Public License for more details.
-#
-#   You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along
-#   with this program. If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
-#
-#   As a special exception, the respective Autoconf Macro's copyright owner
-#   gives unlimited permission to copy, distribute and modify the configure
-#   scripts that are the output of Autoconf when processing the Macro. You
-#   need not follow the terms of the GNU General Public License when using
-#   or distributing such scripts, even though portions of the text of the
-#   Macro appear in them. The GNU General Public License (GPL) does govern
-#   all other use of the material that constitutes the Autoconf Macro.
-#
-#   This special exception to the GPL applies to versions of the Autoconf
-#   Macro released by the Autoconf Archive. When you make and distribute a
-#   modified version of the Autoconf Macro, you may extend this special
-#   exception to the GPL to apply to your modified version as well.
-
-#serial 10
-
-AU_ALIAS([SWIG_PYTHON], [AX_SWIG_PYTHON])
-AC_DEFUN([AX_SWIG_PYTHON],[
-        AC_REQUIRE([AX_PKG_SWIG])
-        AC_REQUIRE([AX_PYTHON_DEVEL])
-        test "x$1" != "xno" || swig_shadow=" -noproxy"
-        AC_SUBST([AX_SWIG_PYTHON_OPT],[-python$swig_shadow])
-        AC_SUBST([AX_SWIG_PYTHON_CPPFLAGS],[$PYTHON_CPPFLAGS])
-])