diff --git a/lib/python/Makefile.lammps.python2 b/lib/python/Makefile.lammps.python2
index 266a91251e..7b54b4c3df 100644
--- a/lib/python/Makefile.lammps.python2
+++ b/lib/python/Makefile.lammps.python2
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 # Settings that the LAMMPS build will import when this package library is used
 # See the README file for more explanation
 
-python_SYSINC = $(shell which python2-config > /dev/null 2>&1 && python2-config --includes || which python-config > /dev/null 2>&1 && python-config --includes || :)
-python_SYSLIB = $(shell which python2-config > /dev/null 2>&1 && python2-config --ldflags || which python-config > /dev/null 2>&1 && python-config --ldflags || :)
+python_SYSINC = $(shell which python2-config > /dev/null 2>&1 && python2-config --includes || (which python-config > /dev/null 2>&1 && python-config --includes || :))
+python_SYSLIB = $(shell which python2-config > /dev/null 2>&1 && python2-config --ldflags || (which python-config > /dev/null 2>&1 && python-config --ldflags || :))
 python_SYSPATH =
 PYTHON=$(shell which python2 > /dev/null 2>&1 && echo python2 || echo python)
diff --git a/lib/python/Makefile.lammps.python3 b/lib/python/Makefile.lammps.python3
index 2aa160e923..5c43b45ff6 100644
--- a/lib/python/Makefile.lammps.python3
+++ b/lib/python/Makefile.lammps.python3
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 # Settings that the LAMMPS build will import when this package library is used
 # See the README file for more explanation
 
-python_SYSINC = $(shell which python3-config > /dev/null 2>&1 && python3-config --includes || which python-config > /dev/null 2>&1 && python-config --includes || :)
-python_SYSLIB = $(shell which python3-config > /dev/null 2>&1 && python3-config --ldflags || which python-config > /dev/null 2>&1 && python-config --ldflags || : )
+python_SYSINC = $(shell which python3-config > /dev/null 2>&1 && python3-config --includes || (which python-config > /dev/null 2>&1 && python-config --includes || :))
+python_SYSLIB = $(shell which python3-config > /dev/null 2>&1 && python3-config --ldflags || (which python-config > /dev/null 2>&1 && python-config --ldflags || :))
 python_SYSPATH =
 PYTHON=$(shell which python3 > /dev/null 2>&1 && echo python3 || echo python)