diff --git a/Lib/distutils/sysconfig.py b/Lib/distutils/sysconfig.py
index bb53315..46d23ec 100644
--- a/Lib/distutils/sysconfig.py
+++ b/Lib/distutils/sysconfig.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 # Path to the base directory of the project. On Windows the binary may
 # live in project/PCBuild9.  If we're dealing with an x64 Windows build,
 # it'll live in project/PCbuild/amd64.
-project_base = os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(sys.executable))
+project_base = os.path.dirname(os.path.realpath(sys.executable))
 if os.name == "nt" and "pcbuild" in project_base[-8:].lower():
     project_base = os.path.abspath(os.path.join(project_base, os.path.pardir))
 # PC/VS7.1
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@
 
     if os.name == "posix":
         if python_build:
-            buildir = os.path.dirname(sys.executable)
+            buildir = os.path.dirname(os.path.realpath(sys.executable))
             if plat_specific:
                 # python.h is located in the buildir
                 inc_dir = buildir
@@ -222,7 +222,8 @@
 def get_makefile_filename():
     """Return full pathname of installed Makefile from the Python build."""
     if python_build:
-        return os.path.join(os.path.dirname(sys.executable), "Makefile")
+        return os.path.join(os.path.dirname(os.path.realpath(sys.executable)),
+                            "Makefile")
     lib_dir = get_python_lib(plat_specific=1, standard_lib=1)
     return os.path.join(lib_dir, "config", "Makefile")
 
@@ -459,7 +460,7 @@
     g['SO'] = '.pyd'
     g['EXE'] = ".exe"
     g['VERSION'] = get_python_version().replace(".", "")
-    g['BINDIR'] = os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(sys.executable))
+    g['BINDIR'] = os.path.dirname(os.path.realpath(sys.executable))
 
     global _config_vars
     _config_vars = g
diff --git a/Misc/NEWS b/Misc/NEWS
index 100854a..7ebf46e 100644
--- a/Misc/NEWS
+++ b/Misc/NEWS
@@ -89,6 +89,10 @@
 Library
 -------
 
+- Issue #8447: Make distutils.sysconfig follow symlinks in the path to
+  the interpreter executable.  This fixes a failure of test_httpservers
+  on OS X.
+
 - Issue #7092: Fix the DeprecationWarnings emitted by the standard library
   when using the -3 flag.  Patch by Florent Xicluna.