diff --git a/direct/src/directbase/ppython.cxx b/direct/src/directbase/ppython.cxx
index af396692b2..01a01cde05 100755
--- a/direct/src/directbase/ppython.cxx
+++ b/direct/src/directbase/ppython.cxx
@@ -1,243 +1,41 @@
 ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 //
 // This is a little wrapper to make it easy to run a python
-// program from the command line.
+// program from the command line. Basically, it just interfaces
+// to the Python API and imports the module that was specified
+// by the IMPORT_MODULE preprocessor definition when it was compiled.
 //
 ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 
-///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
-//
-// Windows Version
-//
-///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+#include <Python.h>
 
-#ifdef WIN32
-
-#ifdef BUILDING_GENPYCODE
-#define LINK_SOURCE "\\bin\\genpycode.exe"
-#define LINK_TARGET "\\python\\python.exe"
+#ifndef IMPORT_MODULE
+#error IMPORT_MODULE must be defined when compiling ppython.cxx !
 #endif
 
-#ifdef BUILDING_PACKPANDA
-#define LINK_SOURCE "\\bin\\packpanda.exe"
-#define LINK_TARGET "\\python\\python.exe"
-#endif
+#define _STRINGIFY(s) #s
+#define STRINGIFY(s) _STRINGIFY(s)
+#define IMPORT_MODULE_STR STRINGIFY(IMPORT_MODULE)
 
-#ifdef BUILDING_EGGCACHER
-#define LINK_SOURCE "\\bin\\eggcacher.exe"
-#define LINK_TARGET "\\python\\python.exe"
-#endif
+int main(int argc, char **argv) {
+  int sts = 0;
 
-#ifdef BUILDING_PFREEZE
-#define LINK_SOURCE "\\bin\\pfreeze.exe"
-#define LINK_TARGET "\\python\\python.exe"
-#endif
+  Py_SetProgramName(argv[0]);
+  Py_Initialize();
 
-#include <windows.h>
-#include <winuser.h>
-#include <stdlib.h>
-#include <process.h>
-#include <malloc.h>
-#include <stdio.h>
-#include <signal.h>
-#define PATH_MAX 1024
-
-void pathfail(void)
-{
-  fprintf(stderr, "Cannot locate the root of the panda tree\n");
-  exit(1);
-}
-
-int main(int argc, char **argv)
-{
-  char fnbuf[PATH_MAX],ppbuf[PATH_MAX],pabuf[PATH_MAX],modcmd[PATH_MAX];
-  int fnlen;
-
-  // Ask windows for the file name of this executable.
-
-  fnlen = GetModuleFileName(NULL, fnbuf, 1023);  
-  if ((fnlen <= 0)||(fnlen >= 1023)) pathfail();
-  fnbuf[fnlen] = 0;
-
-  // Make sure that the executable's name ends in LINK_SOURCE
-  
-  int srclen = strlen(LINK_SOURCE);
-  if (fnlen < srclen + 4) pathfail();
-  if (stricmp(fnbuf + fnlen - srclen, LINK_SOURCE)) pathfail();
-  fnlen -= srclen; fnbuf[fnlen] = 0;
-  
-  // See if we can find the panda root.  If not, abort.
-  
-  sprintf(ppbuf,"%s/include/dtool_config.h",fnbuf);
-  FILE *f = fopen(ppbuf,"r");
-  if (f==0) pathfail();
-  fclose(f);
-  
-  // Set the PYTHONPATH
-  
-  char *pp = getenv("PYTHONPATH");
-  if (pp) sprintf(ppbuf,"PYTHONPATH=%s;%s\\bin;%s",fnbuf,fnbuf,pp);
-  else    sprintf(ppbuf,"PYTHONPATH=%s;%s\\bin",fnbuf,fnbuf);
-  putenv(ppbuf);
-  
-  // Fetch the command line and trim the first word.
-
-  char *cmdline = GetCommandLine();
-  char *args = cmdline;
-  bool inquote = false;
-  while (*args && ((*args != ' ')||(inquote))) {
-    if (*args == '"') inquote = !inquote;
-    args++;
+  if (Py_VerboseFlag) {
+    fprintf(stderr, "Python %s\\n%s\\n", Py_GetVersion(), Py_GetCopyright());
   }
-  while (*args==' ') args++;
 
-  // Append LINK_TARGET to the file name.
-  
-  if (fnlen + strlen(LINK_TARGET) > 1023) pathfail();
-  strcat(fnbuf, LINK_TARGET);
-  
-  // Calculate MODCMD
-  
-#ifdef BUILDING_GENPYCODE
-  sprintf(modcmd,"python -c \"import direct.ffi.jGenPyCode\" %s",args);
-#endif
-#ifdef BUILDING_PACKPANDA
-  sprintf(modcmd,"python -c \"import direct.directscripts.packpanda\" %s",args);
-#endif
-#ifdef BUILDING_EGGCACHER
-  sprintf(modcmd,"python -c \"import direct.directscripts.eggcacher\" %s",args);
-#endif
-#ifdef BUILDING_PFREEZE
-  sprintf(modcmd,"python -c \"import direct.showutil.pfreeze\" %s",args);
-#endif
+  PySys_SetArgv(argc, argv);
 
-  // Run it.
-
-  signal(SIGINT, SIG_IGN);
-  PROCESS_INFORMATION pinfo;
-  STARTUPINFO sinfo;
-  GetStartupInfo(&sinfo);
-  BOOL ok = CreateProcess(fnbuf,modcmd,NULL,NULL,TRUE,NULL,NULL,NULL,&sinfo,&pinfo);
-  if (ok) WaitForSingleObject(pinfo.hProcess,INFINITE);
-}
-
-#endif /* WIN32 */
-
-///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
-//
-// Linux and OSX and FreeBSD Version
-//
-// This would probably work on most unixes, with the possible
-// exception of the /proc/self/exe bit.
-//
-///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
-
-#if defined(__linux__) || defined(__APPLE__) || defined(__FreeBSD__)
-
-#ifdef BUILDING_GENPYCODE
-#define LINK_SOURCE "/bin/genpycode"
-#endif
-
-#ifdef BUILDING_PACKPANDA
-#define LINK_SOURCE "/bin/packpanda"
-#endif
-
-#ifdef BUILDING_EGGCACHER
-#define LINK_SOURCE "/bin/eggcacher"
-#endif
-
-#ifdef BUILDING_PFREEZE
-#define LINK_SOURCE "/bin/pfreeze"
-#endif
-
-#include <stdlib.h>
-#include <stdio.h>
-#include <signal.h>
-#include <unistd.h>
-#include <string.h>
-#include <sys/param.h>
-#if defined( __APPLE__)
-  #include <sys/malloc.h>
-#elif !defined(__FreeBSD__)
-  #include <malloc.h>
-#endif
-
-void errorexit(const char *s)
-{
-  fprintf(stderr,"%s\n", s);
-  exit(1);
-}
-
-void pathfail(void)
-{
-  fprintf(stderr, "Cannot locate the root of the panda tree\n");
-  exit(1);
-}
-
-int main(int argc, char **argv)
-{
-  char fnbuf[PATH_MAX],ppbuf[PATH_MAX];
-  char *modargv[1024];
-  int fnlen,modargc;
-
-  // Ask the OS for the file name of this executable.
-#ifdef __FreeBSD__
-  int ok = readlink("/proc/curproc/file", fnbuf, PATH_MAX-1);
-#else
-  int ok = readlink("/proc/self/exe", fnbuf, PATH_MAX-1);
-#endif
-  if (ok<0) {
-    if (argc>0) strcpy(fnbuf, argv[0]);
-    else errorexit("Cannot read /proc/sys/exe");
+  PyObject* m = PyImport_ImportModule(IMPORT_MODULE_STR);
+  if (m <= 0) {
+    PyErr_Print();
+    sts = 1;
   }
-  fnbuf[PATH_MAX-1] = 0;
-  fnlen = strlen(fnbuf);
 
-  // Make sure that the executable's name ends in LINK_SOURCE
-  
-  int srclen = strlen(LINK_SOURCE);
-  if (fnlen < srclen + 4) pathfail();
-  if (strcmp(fnbuf + fnlen - srclen, LINK_SOURCE)) pathfail();
-  fnlen -= srclen; fnbuf[fnlen] = 0;
-
-  // See if we can find the 'direct' tree locally.
-  // If not, continue anyway.  It may be possible to succeed.
-  
-  sprintf(ppbuf,"%s/include/dtool_config.h",fnbuf);
-  FILE *f = fopen(ppbuf,"r");
-  if (f) {
-    char *pp = getenv("PYTHONPATH");
-    if (pp) sprintf(ppbuf,"PYTHONPATH=%s:%s/lib:%s",fnbuf,fnbuf,pp);
-    else    sprintf(ppbuf,"PYTHONPATH=%s:%s/lib",fnbuf,fnbuf);
-    putenv(ppbuf);
-  }
-  
-  // Calculate MODARGV
-  
-  modargc=0;
-  modargv[modargc++]   = (char*)"python";
-#ifdef BUILDING_GENPYCODE
-    modargv[modargc++] = (char*)"-c";
-    modargv[modargc++] = (char*)"import direct.ffi.jGenPyCode";
-#endif
-#ifdef BUILDING_PACKPANDA
-    modargv[modargc++] = (char*)"-c";
-    modargv[modargc++] = (char*)"import direct.directscripts.packpanda";
-#endif
-#ifdef BUILDING_EGGCACHER
-    modargv[modargc++] = (char*)"-c";
-    modargv[modargc++] = (char*)"import direct.directscripts.eggcacher";
-#endif
-#ifdef BUILDING_PFREEZE
-    modargv[modargc++] = (char*)"-c";
-    modargv[modargc++] = (char*)"import direct.showutil.pfreeze";
-#endif
-  for (int i=1; i<argc; i++) modargv[modargc++] = argv[i];
-  modargv[modargc] = 0;
-  
-  // Run it.
-
-  execv("/usr/bin/python", modargv);
+  Py_Finalize();
+  return sts;
 }
 
-#endif /* LINUX */
diff --git a/makepanda/makepanda.py b/makepanda/makepanda.py
index c5705d6c9c..2ee67e3dbc 100755
--- a/makepanda/makepanda.py
+++ b/makepanda/makepanda.py
@@ -2995,16 +2995,18 @@ TargetAdd('libtinydisplay.dll', input=COMMON_PANDA_LIBS)
 #
 
 if (PkgSkip("PYTHON")==0):
-  OPTS=['DIR:direct/src/directbase']
+  OPTS=['DIR:direct/src/directbase', 'PYTHON']
   TargetAdd('directbase_directbase.obj', opts=OPTS+['BUILDING:DIRECT'], input='directbase.cxx')
 
+  DefSymbol("BUILDING:PACKPANDA", "IMPORT_MODULE", "direct.directscripts.packpanda")
   TargetAdd('packpanda.obj', opts=OPTS+['BUILDING:PACKPANDA'], input='ppython.cxx')
   TargetAdd('packpanda.exe', input='packpanda.obj')
-  TargetAdd('packpanda.exe', opts=['WINUSER'])
+  TargetAdd('packpanda.exe', opts=['PYTHON'])
 
-  TargetAdd('eggcacher.obj', opts=OPTS+['BUILDING:EGGCACHER'], input='ppython.cxx') 	 
-  TargetAdd('eggcacher.exe', input='eggcacher.obj') 	 
-  TargetAdd('eggcacher.exe', opts=['WINUSER'])
+  DefSymbol("BUILDING:EGGCACHER", "IMPORT_MODULE", "direct.directscripts.eggcacher")
+  TargetAdd('eggcacher.obj', opts=OPTS+['BUILDING:EGGCACHER'], input='ppython.cxx')
+  TargetAdd('eggcacher.exe', input='eggcacher.obj')
+  TargetAdd('eggcacher.exe', opts=['PYTHON'])
 
 #
 # DIRECTORY: direct/src/dcparser/