diff --git a/attributes/default.rb b/attributes/default.rb
index 85c96eb..49cc23c 100644
--- a/attributes/default.rb
+++ b/attributes/default.rb
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#
+  #
 # Author:: Seth Chisamore (<schisamo@opscode.com>)
 # Cookbook Name:: python
 # Attribute:: default
@@ -18,21 +18,34 @@
 # limitations under the License.
 #
 
+default['python']['binary_name']          = 'python'
 default['python']['install_method'] = 'package'
-
+major_version = platform_version.split('.').first.to_i
 if python['install_method'] == 'package'
+  default['python']['prefix_dir']         = '/usr'
   case platform
-  when "smartos"
-    default['python']['prefix_dir']         = '/opt/local'
-  else
-    default['python']['prefix_dir']         = '/usr'
+    when "debian"
+      default['python']['python_pkgs']        = ["python","python-dev"]
+    when "rhel"
+      if major_version < 6
+        default['python']['binary_name']          = 'python26'
+        default['python']['python_pkgs']      = ["python26", "python26-devel"]
+      else
+        default['python']['python_pkgs']      = ["python","python-devel"]
+      end
+    when "freebsd"
+      default['python']['python_pkgs']        = ["python"]
+    when "smartos"
+      default['python']['prefix_dir']         = '/opt/local'
+      default['python']['python_pkgs']        = ["python27"]
+    else
+      default['python']['python_pkgs']        = ["python","python-dev"]
   end
+
 else
   default['python']['prefix_dir']         = '/usr/local'
 end
 
-default['python']['binary'] = "#{node['python']['prefix_dir']}/bin/python"
-
 default['python']['url'] = 'http://www.python.org/ftp/python'
 default['python']['version'] = '2.7.5'
 default['python']['checksum'] = '3b477554864e616a041ee4d7cef9849751770bc7c39adaf78a94ea145c488059'
diff --git a/recipes/package.rb b/recipes/package.rb
index 18c1a00..1b5aa6e 100644
--- a/recipes/package.rb
+++ b/recipes/package.rb
@@ -24,19 +24,9 @@
 # repo & package
 if platform_family?('rhel') && major_version < 6
   include_recipe 'yum::epel'
-  python_pkgs = ["python26", "python26-devel"]
-  node.default['python']['binary'] = "/usr/bin/python26"
-else
-  python_pkgs = value_for_platform_family(
-                  "debian" => ["python","python-dev"],
-                  "rhel" => ["python","python-devel"],
-                  "freebsd" => ["python"],
-                  "smartos" => ["python27"],
-                  "default" => ["python","python-dev"]
-                )
 end
 
-python_pkgs.each do |pkg|
+node['python']['python_pkgs'].each do |pkg|
   package pkg do
     action :install
   end
diff --git a/recipes/pip.rb b/recipes/pip.rb
index 1f89070..cef3c6e 100644
--- a/recipes/pip.rb
+++ b/recipes/pip.rb
@@ -32,11 +32,12 @@
 else
   pip_binary = "/usr/local/bin/pip"
 end
+python_binary = "#{node['python']['prefix_dir']}/bin/#{node['python']['binary_name']}"
 
 cookbook_file "#{Chef::Config[:file_cache_path]}/ez_setup.py" do
   source 'ez_setup.py'
   mode "0644"
-  not_if "#{node['python']['binary']} -c 'import setuptools'"
+  not_if "#{python_binary} -c 'import setuptools'"
 end
 
 cookbook_file "#{Chef::Config[:file_cache_path]}/get-pip.py" do
@@ -48,15 +49,15 @@
 execute "install-setuptools" do
   cwd Chef::Config[:file_cache_path]
   command <<-EOF
-  #{node['python']['binary']} ez_setup.py
+  #{python_binary} ez_setup.py
   EOF
-  not_if "#{node['python']['binary']} -c 'import setuptools'"
+  not_if "#{python_binary} -c 'import setuptools'"
 end
 
 execute "install-pip" do
   cwd Chef::Config[:file_cache_path]
   command <<-EOF
-  #{node['python']['binary']} get-pip.py
+  #{python_binary} get-pip.py
   EOF
   not_if { ::File.exists?(pip_binary) }
 end
diff --git a/recipes/source.rb b/recipes/source.rb
index 1409ab6..ee24990 100644
--- a/recipes/source.rb
+++ b/recipes/source.rb
@@ -60,9 +60,10 @@
 
 # Link install as the default python, to support Python 3.x
 # Otherwise the pip and virtualenv recipes won't work properly
-link node['python']['binary'] do
+python_binary = "#{node['python']['prefix_dir']}/bin/#{node['python']['binary_name']}"
+link python_binary do
   to install_path
-  not_if { ::File.exists?(node['python']['binary']) }
+  not_if { ::File.exists?(python_binary) }
 end