diff --git a/recipes/recipes_emscripten/python/build.sh b/recipes/recipes_emscripten/python/build.sh
index f65278cc9..dc8b71eb6 100644
--- a/recipes/recipes_emscripten/python/build.sh
+++ b/recipes/recipes_emscripten/python/build.sh
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 
+export PYTHON_TOP_VERSION=3.12
+
 set -euxo pipefail
 
 mkdir -p $PREFIX/include
@@ -10,7 +12,7 @@ mkdir -p $PREFIX/etc/conda
 # Move all python package files to the build folder
 export BUILD=build/${PKG_VERSION}/Python-${PKG_VERSION}
 mkdir -p ${BUILD}
-mv Makefile.pre.in README.rst aclocal.m4 config.guess config.sub setup.py pyconfig.h.in install-sh configure.ac ${BUILD}
+mv Makefile.pre.in README.rst aclocal.m4 config.guess config.sub pyconfig.h.in install-sh configure.ac ${BUILD}
 mv Doc Grammar Include LICENSE Lib Mac Misc Modules Objects PC PCbuild Parser Programs Python Tools configure ${BUILD}
 
 # copy the LICENSE file back for the recipe
@@ -20,7 +22,7 @@ cp ${BUILD}/LICENSE .
 # since the python build script overwrites the env variable PYTHON to python.js
 # as it assumes this is the correct name for the python binary when building for emscripten.
 # But emscripten itself (emcc/emar/...) relies on the env variable PYTHON to be set to python3.11
-ln -s $BUILD_PREFIX/bin/python3.11 $BUILD_PREFIX/bin/python.js
+ln -s $BUILD_PREFIX/bin/python${PYTHON_TOP_VERSION} $BUILD_PREFIX/bin/python.js
 
 # create an empty emsdk_env.sh in CONDA_EMSDK_DIR
 echo "" > $EMSCRIPTEN_FORGE_EMSDK_DIR/emsdk_env.sh
@@ -54,14 +56,14 @@ echo "echo \"pip is not a supported on this platform.\"" >> $PREFIX/bin/pip
 chmod +x $PREFIX/bin/pip
 
 # a fake python3 command
-touch $PREFIX/bin/python3.11
-echo "#!/bin/bash" >> $PREFIX/bin/python3.11
-echo "echo \"python3 is not a supported on this platform.\"" >> $PREFIX/bin/python3.11
-chmod +x $PREFIX/bin/python3.11
+touch $PREFIX/bin/python${PYTHON_TOP_VERSION}
+echo "#!/bin/bash" >> $PREFIX/bin/python${PYTHON_TOP_VERSION}
+echo "echo \"python3 is not a supported on this platform.\"" >> $PREFIX/bin/python${PYTHON_TOP_VERSION}
+chmod +x $PREFIX/bin/python${PYTHON_TOP_VERSION}
 
 # create symlink st. all possible python3.11 commands are available
-ln -s $PREFIX/bin/python3.11 $PREFIX/bin/python
-ln -s $PREFIX/bin/python3.11 $PREFIX/bin/python3
+ln -s $PREFIX/bin/python${PYTHON_TOP_VERSION} $PREFIX/bin/python
+ln -s $PREFIX/bin/python${PYTHON_TOP_VERSION} $PREFIX/bin/python3
 
 # copy sysconfigdata
-cp $PREFIX/sysconfigdata/_sysconfigdata__emscripten_wasm32-emscripten.py  $PREFIX/etc/conda/
\ No newline at end of file
+cp $PREFIX/sysconfigdata/_sysconfigdata__emscripten_wasm32-emscripten.py  $PREFIX/etc/conda/