diff --git a/sdk_container/src/third_party/coreos-overlay/coreos/config/env/dev-lang/python-oem b/sdk_container/src/third_party/coreos-overlay/coreos/config/env/dev-lang/python-oem
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..8b527f5a5d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sdk_container/src/third_party/coreos-overlay/coreos/config/env/dev-lang/python-oem
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+# Work around configure test that cannot be cross compiled :(
+#
+# When checking if this is still applicable, try grepping the
+# configure script for lines with "$cross_compiling", like
+#
+# grep -B 20 -F 'when cross compiling' configure
+
+export ac_cv_file__dev_ptc=no
+export ac_cv_file__dev_ptmx=yes