diff --git a/numpy.spec b/numpy.spec
index d8768d9..5605617 100644
--- a/numpy.spec
+++ b/numpy.spec
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
-%{!?python_sitearch: %define python_sitearch %(%{__python} -c "from distutils.sysconfig import get_python_lib; print get_python_lib(1)")}
+%if ! (0%{?fedora} > 12 || 0%{?rhel} > 5)
+%{!?python_sitearch: %global python_sitearch %(%{__python} -c "from distutils.sysconfig import get_python_lib; print get_python_lib(1)")}
+%endif
 # eval to 2.3 if python isn't yet present, workaround for no python in fc4 minimal buildroot
 %{!?python_version: %define python_version %(%{__python} -c 'import sys; print sys.version.split(" ")[0]' || echo "2.3")}