diff --git a/conda/common/path.py b/conda/common/path.py
index 41084ec..11282f3 100644
--- a/conda/common/path.py
+++ b/conda/common/path.py
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import os
 from os.path import abspath, basename, expanduser, expandvars, join, normcase, split, splitext
 import re
 import subprocess
+import sys
 from typing import Iterable, Sequence
 from urllib.parse import urlsplit
 import warnings
@@ -166,9 +167,11 @@ def parse_entry_point_def(ep_definition):
 def get_python_short_path(python_version=None):
     if on_win:
         return "python.exe"
-    if python_version and '.' not in python_version:
+    if not python_version:
+        return sys.executable
+    if '.' not in python_version:
         python_version = '.'.join(python_version)
-    return join("bin", "python%s" % (python_version or ''))
+    return join("bin", "python" + python_version)
 
 
 def get_python_site_packages_short_path(python_version):