diff --git a/python/python/python.conf b/python/python/python.conf
index 21624017d..bef78100b 100644
--- a/python/python/python.conf
+++ b/python/python/python.conf
@@ -69,6 +69,9 @@ if atstage cross; then
 	# point to the sandbox to avoid host libs to leak in
 	var_insert CFLAGS ' ' "-I$root/usr/include"
 	var_insert LDFLAGS ' ' "-L$root/usr/lib -L$root/lib"
+	# when linking modules libpython2.7.so is not installed in
+	# the sandbox but available in the top-level source directory
+	var_insert LDFLAGS ' ' "-L$builddir/Python-$ver"
 	var_append configprefix ' ' "CFLAGS=\"$CFLAGS\""
 	var_append configprefix ' ' "LDFLAGS=\"$LDFLAGS\""
 fi