diff -Nru pidgin-2.12.0/debian/changelog pidgin-2.12.0/debian/changelog
--- pidgin-2.12.0/debian/changelog	2018-03-08 18:29:36.000000000 +0000
+++ pidgin-2.12.0/debian/changelog	2018-03-08 18:29:36.000000000 +0000
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
-pidgin (1:2.12.0-1ubuntu3) bionic; urgency=medium
+pidgin (1:2.12.0-1ubuntu4) bionic; urgency=medium
 
+  * Explicitly enable python3 in rules file
   * Remove hg-remove-SIGCHLD-handler.patch: Useless now
     This patch is now causing an issue with zombie processes.
     LP: #1245666.
diff -Nru pidgin-2.12.0/debian/rules pidgin-2.12.0/debian/rules
--- pidgin-2.12.0/debian/rules	2017-03-10 08:42:44.000000000 +0000
+++ pidgin-2.12.0/debian/rules	2018-03-08 18:29:36.000000000 +0000
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
 	    --enable-perl --with-zephyr=/usr --enable-dbus --enable-gnutls=no \
 	    --enable-nss=yes --enable-cyrus-sasl --enable-vv \
 	    --enable-tcl --enable-tk --enable-unity \
+	    --with-python=python3 \
 	    --with-tclconfig=/usr/lib/$(DEB_HOST_MULTIARCH) \
 	    --with-dynamic-prpls=bonjour,gg,irc,jabber,novell,oscar,sametime,simple,zephyr # disable silc
 ifeq ($(DEB_BUILD_ARCH_OS),linux)