diff --git a/TODO b/TODO
index 6f65a300..97316cde 100644
--- a/TODO
+++ b/TODO
@@ -1,3 +1,6 @@
+- update gtkdoc Makefile.am ... copy the sample in examples/Makefile.am in the
+  gtkdoc sources
+
 - use vips_resize() in vipsthumbnail?
 
   should the sharpening filter be selectable?
diff --git a/python/Vips.py b/python/Vips.py
index ee2b5261..6e5a873b 100644
--- a/python/Vips.py
+++ b/python/Vips.py
@@ -1,6 +1,12 @@
 # -*- Mode: Python; py-indent-offset: 4 -*-
 # vim: tabstop=4 shiftwidth=4 expandtab
 
+from __future__ import division
+from builtins import map
+from builtins import str
+from builtins import range
+from builtins import object
+
 # overrides for pygobject gobject-introspection binding for libvips, tested 
 # with python2.7 and python3.4
 
@@ -30,12 +36,6 @@
 # 
 # These files are distributed with VIPS - http://www.vips.ecs.soton.ac.uk
 
-from __future__ import division
-from builtins import map
-from builtins import str
-from builtins import range
-from builtins import object
-
 import sys
 import re
 import logging
diff --git a/test/Makefile.am b/test/Makefile.am
index 776043d2..3642ba64 100644
--- a/test/Makefile.am
+++ b/test/Makefile.am
@@ -12,14 +12,15 @@ EXTRA_DIST = \
 	test_conversion.py 
 
 # don't run test_thumbnail.sh by default, it takes ages
+
+# test with python2 and python3 ... we are supposed to work with either
+
 TESTS = \
 	test_cli.sh \
 	test_formats.sh \
 	test_seq.sh \
 	test_threading.sh \
-	test_arithmetic.py \
-	test_colour.py \
-	test_conversion.py 
+	test_python.sh
 
 clean-local: 
 	-rm -rf tmp
diff --git a/test/test_python.sh b/test/test_python.sh
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..9ef4ce3a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/test_python.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+
+# set -x
+
+. ./variables.sh
+
+echo "testing with python2 ..."
+
+python2 test_arithmetic.py 
+python2 test_colour.py 
+python2 test_conversion.py 
+
+echo "testing with python3 ..."
+
+python3 test_colour.py 
+python3 test_arithmetic.py 
+python3 test_conversion.py
+