diff --git a/tools/perf/util/scripting-engines/trace-event-python.c b/tools/perf/util/scripting-engines/trace-event-python.c
index fb11396ec861..9569cc06e0a7 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/scripting-engines/trace-event-python.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/scripting-engines/trace-event-python.c
@@ -1493,34 +1493,40 @@ static void _free_command_line(wchar_t **command_line, int num)
 static int python_start_script(const char *script, int argc, const char **argv)
 {
 	struct tables *tables = &tables_global;
+	PyMODINIT_FUNC (*initfunc)(void);
 #if PY_MAJOR_VERSION < 3
 	const char **command_line;
 #else
 	wchar_t **command_line;
 #endif
-	char buf[PATH_MAX];
+	/*
+	 * Use a non-const name variable to cope with python 2.6's
+	 * PyImport_AppendInittab prototype
+	 */
+	char buf[PATH_MAX], name[19] = "perf_trace_context";
 	int i, err = 0;
 	FILE *fp;
 
 #if PY_MAJOR_VERSION < 3
+	initfunc = initperf_trace_context;
 	command_line = malloc((argc + 1) * sizeof(const char *));
 	command_line[0] = script;
 	for (i = 1; i < argc + 1; i++)
 		command_line[i] = argv[i - 1];
 #else
+	initfunc = PyInit_perf_trace_context;
 	command_line = malloc((argc + 1) * sizeof(wchar_t *));
 	command_line[0] = Py_DecodeLocale(script, NULL);
 	for (i = 1; i < argc + 1; i++)
 		command_line[i] = Py_DecodeLocale(argv[i - 1], NULL);
 #endif
 
+	PyImport_AppendInittab(name, initfunc);
 	Py_Initialize();
 
 #if PY_MAJOR_VERSION < 3
-	initperf_trace_context();
 	PySys_SetArgv(argc + 1, (char **)command_line);
 #else
-	PyInit_perf_trace_context();
 	PySys_SetArgv(argc + 1, command_line);
 #endif