diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 9c44f40d95..e50e81ac90 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -65,8 +65,16 @@ load("@io_bazel_rules_python//python:pip.bzl", "pip_import")
 # This rule translates the specified requirements.txt into
 # @my_deps//:requirements.bzl, which itself exposes a pip_install method.
 pip_import(
-   name = "my_deps",
-   requirements = "//path/to:requirements.txt",
+  name = "my_deps",
+  requirements = "//path/to:requirements.txt",
+)
+
+# Python interpreter can be specify optionally to support customized version,
+# such as "python3" or "python3.7"
+pip_import(
+  name = "my_deps",
+  requirements = "//path/to:requirements.txt",
+  python_interpreter = 'python3.7',
 )
 
 # Load the pip_install symbol for my_deps, and create the dependencies'
diff --git a/python/pip.bzl b/python/pip.bzl
index 9d27794e4d..64e683d132 100644
--- a/python/pip.bzl
+++ b/python/pip.bzl
@@ -24,8 +24,10 @@ def _pip_import_impl(repository_ctx):
 
     # To see the output, pass: quiet=False
     result = repository_ctx.execute([
-        "python",
+        repository_ctx.attr.python_interpreter,
         repository_ctx.path(repository_ctx.attr._script),
+        "--python_interpreter",
+        repository_ctx.attr.python_interpreter,
         "--name",
         repository_ctx.attr.name,
         "--input",
@@ -41,6 +43,7 @@ def _pip_import_impl(repository_ctx):
 
 pip_import = repository_rule(
     attrs = {
+        "python_interpreter": attr.string(default="python"),
         "requirements": attr.label(
             mandatory = True,
             allow_single_file = True,
diff --git a/python/whl.bzl b/python/whl.bzl
index 3f869c29ec..2eebfee49f 100644
--- a/python/whl.bzl
+++ b/python/whl.bzl
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ def _whl_impl(repository_ctx):
     """Core implementation of whl_library."""
 
     args = [
-        "python",
+        repository_ctx.attr.python_interpreter,
         repository_ctx.path(repository_ctx.attr._script),
         "--whl",
         repository_ctx.path(repository_ctx.attr.whl),
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ def _whl_impl(repository_ctx):
 
 whl_library = repository_rule(
     attrs = {
+        "python_interpreter": attr.string(default="python"),
         "whl": attr.label(
             mandatory = True,
             allow_single_file = True,
diff --git a/rules_python/piptool.py b/rules_python/piptool.py
index f5d504aa87..47fc3cdcf7 100644
--- a/rules_python/piptool.py
+++ b/rules_python/piptool.py
@@ -84,6 +84,9 @@ def pip_main(argv):
 parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(
     description='Import Python dependencies into Bazel.')
 
+parser.add_argument('--python_interpreter', action='store',
+                    help=('The python python interpreter to use '))
+
 parser.add_argument('--name', action='store',
                     help=('The namespace of the import.'))
 
@@ -175,10 +178,12 @@ def whl_library(wheel):
   if "{repo_name}" not in native.existing_rules():
     whl_library(
         name = "{repo_name}",
+        python_interpreter = "{python_interpreter}",
         whl = "@{name}//:{path}",
         requirements = "@{name}//:requirements.bzl",
         extras = [{extras}]
     )""".format(name=args.name, repo_name=wheel.repository_name(),
+                python_interpreter=args.python_interpreter,
                 path=wheel.basename(),
                 extras=','.join([
                   '"%s"' % extra
diff --git a/tools/piptool.par b/tools/piptool.par
index 11ec453cd7..15cb46a098 100755
Binary files a/tools/piptool.par and b/tools/piptool.par differ
diff --git a/tools/whltool.par b/tools/whltool.par
index 7cb59c0fbe..72e8409e14 100755
Binary files a/tools/whltool.par and b/tools/whltool.par differ