diff --git a/pkgs/development/interpreters/python/cpython/2.7/default.nix b/pkgs/development/interpreters/python/cpython/2.7/default.nix
index 0f09bf7650bf..c5306fe7891c 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/interpreters/python/cpython/2.7/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/interpreters/python/cpython/2.7/default.nix
@@ -221,5 +221,8 @@ in stdenv.mkDerivation {
       license = stdenv.lib.licenses.psfl;
       platforms = stdenv.lib.platforms.all;
       maintainers = with stdenv.lib.maintainers; [ chaoflow domenkozar ];
+      # Higher priority than Python 3.x so that `/bin/python` points to `/bin/python2`
+      # in case both 2 and 3 are installed.
+      priority = 5;
     };
   }