diff --git a/config/python.m4 b/config/python.m4
index e500873ff3..b295ad3d3a 100644
--- a/config/python.m4
+++ b/config/python.m4
@@ -120,16 +120,11 @@ else
 	found_shlib=0
 	for d in "${python_libdir}" "${python_configdir}" /usr/lib64 /usr/lib
 	do
-		# Note: DLSUFFIX is for loadable modules, not shared
-		# libraries, so cannot be used here portably.  Just
-		# check all known possibilities.
-		for e in .so .dll .dylib .sl; do
-			if test -e "$d/lib${ldlibrary}$e"; then
-				python_libdir="$d"
-				found_shlib=1
-				break 2
-			fi
-		done
+		if test -e "$d/lib${ldlibrary}${DLSUFFIX}"; then
+			python_libdir="$d"
+			found_shlib=1
+			break 2
+		fi
 	done
 	# Some platforms (OpenBSD) require us to accept a bare versioned shlib
 	# (".so.n.n") as well. However, check this only after failing to find
diff --git a/configure b/configure
index fb07cd27d9..da177403ef 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -10570,16 +10570,11 @@ else
 	found_shlib=0
 	for d in "${python_libdir}" "${python_configdir}" /usr/lib64 /usr/lib
 	do
-		# Note: DLSUFFIX is for loadable modules, not shared
-		# libraries, so cannot be used here portably.  Just
-		# check all known possibilities.
-		for e in .so .dll .dylib .sl; do
-			if test -e "$d/lib${ldlibrary}$e"; then
-				python_libdir="$d"
-				found_shlib=1
-				break 2
-			fi
-		done
+		if test -e "$d/lib${ldlibrary}${DLSUFFIX}"; then
+			python_libdir="$d"
+			found_shlib=1
+			break 2
+		fi
 	done
 	# Some platforms (OpenBSD) require us to accept a bare versioned shlib
 	# (".so.n.n") as well. However, check this only after failing to find
diff --git a/src/Makefile.shlib b/src/Makefile.shlib
index 551023c6fb..d0ec325bf1 100644
--- a/src/Makefile.shlib
+++ b/src/Makefile.shlib
@@ -118,7 +118,6 @@ endif
 ifeq ($(PORTNAME), darwin)
   ifdef soname
     # linkable library
-    DLSUFFIX		= .dylib
     ifneq ($(SO_MAJOR_VERSION), 0)
       version_link	= -compatibility_version $(SO_MAJOR_VERSION) -current_version $(SO_MAJOR_VERSION).$(SO_MINOR_VERSION)
     endif
@@ -127,7 +126,6 @@ ifeq ($(PORTNAME), darwin)
     shlib_major		= lib$(NAME).$(SO_MAJOR_VERSION)$(DLSUFFIX)
   else
     # loadable module
-    DLSUFFIX		= .so
     LINK.shared		= $(COMPILER) -bundle -multiply_defined suppress
   endif
   BUILD.exports		= $(AWK) '/^[^\#]/ {printf "_%s\n",$$1}' $< >$@
diff --git a/src/makefiles/Makefile.darwin b/src/makefiles/Makefile.darwin
index 4fc81c1584..45f253a5b4 100644
--- a/src/makefiles/Makefile.darwin
+++ b/src/makefiles/Makefile.darwin
@@ -10,5 +10,5 @@ else
 endif
 
 # Rule for building a shared library from a single .o file
-%.so: %.o
+%$(DLSUFFIX): %.o
 	$(CC) $(CFLAGS) $< $(LDFLAGS) $(LDFLAGS_SL) -bundle $(BE_DLLLIBS) -o $@
diff --git a/src/template/darwin b/src/template/darwin
index e14d53b601..fd30e19b6a 100644
--- a/src/template/darwin
+++ b/src/template/darwin
@@ -55,3 +55,5 @@ case $host_os in
     USE_SYSV_SEMAPHORES=1
     ;;
 esac
+
+DLSUFFIX=".dylib"