diff --git a/tests/qemu-iotests/check b/tests/qemu-iotests/check
index fff5fa956a65ad813d15407e74de81a52bef0e1b..1789ada52efc4f5772971484697f5bedc24e7632 100755
--- a/tests/qemu-iotests/check
+++ b/tests/qemu-iotests/check
@@ -846,7 +846,8 @@ do
 
         start=$(_wallclock)
 
-        if [ "$(head -n 1 "$source_iotests/$seq")" == "#!/usr/bin/env python" ]; then
+        if [ "$(head -n 1 "$source_iotests/$seq" | sed 's/3$//')" \
+            == "#!/usr/bin/env python" ]; then
             if $python_usable; then
                 run_command="$PYTHON $seq"
             else