diff --git a/src/pl/plperl/GNUmakefile b/src/pl/plperl/GNUmakefile
index d480268..a1e0a05 100644
--- a/src/pl/plperl/GNUmakefile
+++ b/src/pl/plperl/GNUmakefile
@@ -56,6 +56,9 @@
 # where to find psql for running the tests
 PSQLDIR = $(bindir)
 
+# where to find xsubpp for building XS.
+XSUBPPDIR = $(shell $(PERL) -e 'use List::Util qw(first); print first { -r "$$_/ExtUtils/xsubpp" } @INC')
+
 include $(top_srcdir)/src/Makefile.shlib
 
 plperl.o: perlchunks.h plperl_opmask.h
@@ -69,10 +72,10 @@
 all: all-lib
 
 SPI.c: SPI.xs
-	$(PERL) $(perl_privlibexp)/ExtUtils/xsubpp -typemap $(perl_privlibexp)/ExtUtils/typemap $< >$@
-	
+	$(PERL) $(XSUBPPDIR)/ExtUtils/xsubpp -typemap $(perl_privlibexp)/ExtUtils/typemap $< >$@
+
 Util.c: Util.xs
-	$(PERL) $(perl_privlibexp)/ExtUtils/xsubpp -typemap $(perl_privlibexp)/ExtUtils/typemap $< >$@
+	$(PERL) $(XSUBPPDIR)/ExtUtils/xsubpp -typemap $(perl_privlibexp)/ExtUtils/typemap $< >$@
 
 install: all installdirs install-lib