diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index f4d5b189a..1abc342ab 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -257,11 +257,15 @@ OPTION(BUILD_BULLET3 "Set when you want to build Bullet 3" ON)
 # Optional Python configuration
 # builds pybullet automatically if all the requirements are met
 SET(PYTHON_VERSION_PYBULLET "2.7" CACHE STRING "Python version pybullet will use.")
-SET(Python_ADDITIONAL_VERSIONS 2.7 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6)
+SET(Python_ADDITIONAL_VERSIONS 2.7 2.7.3 3 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6)
 SET_PROPERTY(CACHE PYTHON_VERSION_PYBULLET PROPERTY STRINGS ${Python_ADDITIONAL_VERSIONS})
 SET(CMAKE_MODULE_PATH ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/build3/cmake ${CMAKE_MODULE_PATH})
+OPTION(EXACT_PYTHON_VERSION "Require Python and match PYTHON_VERSION_PYBULLET exactly, e.g. 2.7.3" OFF)
+IF(EXACT_PYTHON_VERSION)
+  set(EXACT_PYTHON_VERSION_FLAG EXACT REQUIRED)
+ENDIF(EXACT_PYTHON_VERSION)
 # first find the python interpreter
-FIND_PACKAGE(PythonInterp ${PYTHON_VERSION_PYBULLET} EXACT)
+FIND_PACKAGE(PythonInterp ${PYTHON_VERSION_PYBULLET} ${EXACT_PYTHON_VERSION_FLAG})
 # python library should exactly match that of the interpreter
 FIND_PACKAGE(PythonLibraries ${PYTHON_VERSION_STRING} EXACT)
 SET(DEFAULT_BUILD_PYBULLET OFF)