diff --git a/debian/changelog b/debian/changelog
index bbd0abc181c336790c35e3f76dda201514ed5380..fd5b906b6b15e119b5d00880e6f460e1c4602193 100644
--- a/debian/changelog
+++ b/debian/changelog
@@ -1,9 +1,16 @@
-python-defaults (2.6.6-15) UNRELEASED; urgency=low
+python-defaults (2.7.2-1) UNRELEASED; urgency=low
 
+  [ Piotr Ożarowski ]
   * dh_pythno2: generate more strict dependencies for packages with private
     extensions (closes: #625760)
 
- -- Piotr Ożarowski <piotr@debian.org>  Thu, 05 May 2011 23:17:15 +0200
+  [ Scott Kitterman ]
+  * Set python2.7 as default for testing in experimental
+    - Update version references in patching file debian/control, control.in,
+      debian_defaults, python.postinst.in, python.preinst.in, pyversions.py,
+      and rules
+
+ -- Scott Kitterman <scott@kitterman.com>  Tue, 31 May 2011 07:44:33 -0400
 
 python-defaults (2.6.6-14) unstable; urgency=low
 
diff --git a/debian/control b/debian/control
index bd1710591ac89ea296a7c82d635e9d82e5345909..543ed11adbd087c37c4d8e9d9481050fad69ceba 100644
--- a/debian/control
+++ b/debian/control
@@ -12,77 +12,78 @@ Vcs-Browser: http://alioth.debian.org/scm/loggerhead/pkg-python/python-defaults-
 
 Package: python
 Architecture: all
-Priority: standard
-Depends: ${misc:Depends}, python2.6 (>= 2.6.6-1~), python-minimal (= ${binary:Version})
+Priority: important
+Depends: ${misc:Depends}, python2.7 (>= 2.7.1-1~), python-minimal (= ${binary:Version})
 Suggests: python-doc (= ${binary:Version}), python-tk (= ${binary:Version}), python-profiler (= ${binary:Version})
 Conflicts: python-central (<< 0.5.5)
 Breaks: python-csv (<< 1.0-4), python-bz2 (<< 1.1-8), python-email (<< 2.5.5-3)
 Replaces: python-dev (<< 2.6.5-2)
-Provides: python-email, python-ctypes, python-wsgiref
+Provides: python-email, python-ctypes, python-wsgiref, python-importlib
 Description: interactive high-level object-oriented language (default version)
  Python, the high-level, interactive object oriented language,
  includes an extensive class library with lots of goodies for
  network programming, system administration, sounds and graphics.
  .
  This package is a dependency package, which depends on Debian's default
- Python version (currently v2.6).
+ Python version (currently v2.7).
 
 Package: python-minimal
 Architecture: all
-Priority: standard
-Depends: ${misc:Depends}, python2.6-minimal (>= 2.6.6-1~), dpkg (>= 1.13.20)
+Essential: yes
+Priority: required
+Depends: ${misc:Depends}, python2.7-minimal (>= 2.7.1-1~), dpkg (>= 1.13.20)
 Recommends: python
 Conflicts: python-central (<< 0.5.5)
-Breaks: python (<= 2.4-1), python-dev (<< 2.6), python-dbg (<< 2.6), python-all (<< 2.6), python-all-dev (<< 2.6), python-all-dbg (<< 2.6), python-examples (<< 2.6), idle (<< 2.6), python2.5-minimal (<< 2.5.5-7), python2.6-minimal (<< 2.6.5~rc2-2), python3.1-minimal (<< 3.1.2~rc1-2), python-support (<< 1.0.12)
+Breaks: python (<= 2.4-1), python-dev (<< 2.6), python-dbg (<< 2.6), python-all (<< 2.6), python-all-dev (<< 2.6), python-all-dbg (<< 2.6), python-examples (<< 2.6), idle (<< 2.6), python2.5-minimal (<< 2.5.5-7), python2.6-minimal (<< 2.6.5~rc2-2), python3.1-minimal (<< 3.1.2~rc1-2), python-support (<< 1.0.10ubuntu2)
 Replaces: python (<= 2.4-1)
 Description: minimal subset of the Python language (default version)
  This package contains the interpreter and some essential modules.  It's used
  in the boot process for some basic tasks.
- See /usr/share/doc/python2.6-minimal/README.Debian for a list of the modules
+ See /usr/share/doc/python2.7-minimal/README.Debian for a list of the modules
  contained in this package.
 
 Package: python-examples
 Architecture: all
-Depends: ${misc:Depends}, python (= ${binary:Version}), python2.6-examples (>= 2.6.6-1~)
+Depends: ${misc:Depends}, python (= ${binary:Version}), python2.7-examples (>= 2.7.1-1~)
 Description: examples for the Python language (default version)
  Examples, Demos and Tools for Python. These are files included in
  the upstream Python distribution.
  .
  This package is a dependency package, which depends on Debian's default
- Python version (currently v2.6).
+ Python version (currently v2.7).
 
 Package: python-dev
 Architecture: all
-Depends: ${misc:Depends}, python (= ${binary:Version}), python2.6-dev (>= 2.6.6-1~)
+Depends: ${misc:Depends}, python (= ${binary:Version}), python2.7-dev (>= 2.7.1-1~)
 Description: header files and a static library for Python (default)
  Header files, a static library and development tools for building
  Python modules, extending the Python interpreter or embedding Python
  in applications.
  .
  This package is a dependency package, which depends on Debian's default
- Python version (currently v2.6).
+ Python version (currently v2.7).
 
 Package: idle
 Architecture: all
-Depends: ${misc:Depends}, python (= ${binary:Version}), python-tk (>= 2.4.3-3), idle-python2.6
+Depends: ${misc:Depends}, python (= ${binary:Version}), python-tk (>= 2.4.3-3), idle-python2.7
 Enhances: python
 Description: IDE for Python using Tkinter (default version)
  IDLE is an Integrated Development Environment for Python.
  IDLE is written using Tkinter and therefore quite platform-independent.
  .
  This package is a dependency package, which depends on Debian's default
- Python version (currently v2.6) of IDLE.
+ Python version (currently v2.7) of IDLE.
 
 Package: python-doc
 Section: doc
 Architecture: all
-Depends: ${misc:Depends}, python2.6-doc (>= 2.6.6-1~)
+Depends: ${misc:Depends}, python2.7-doc (>= 2.7.1-1~)
 Suggests: python-examples, python (= ${binary:Version})
 Breaks: python (<< 2.3.5)
 Replaces: python (<< 2.3.5)
 Description: documentation for the high-level object-oriented language Python
  This is the official set of documentation for the interactive high-level
- object-oriented language Python (v2.6). All documents are provided
+ object-oriented language Python (v2.7). All documents are provided
  in HTML format, some in info format. The package consists of nine documents:
  .
    * Tutorial
@@ -96,17 +97,17 @@ Description: documentation for the high-level object-oriented language Python
    * Distributing Python Modules
  .
  This package is a dependency package, which depends on Debian's default
- Python version (currently v2.6).
+ Python version (currently v2.7).
 
 Package: python-dbg
 Architecture: all
 Section: debug
 Priority: extra
-Depends: ${misc:Depends}, python (= ${binary:Version}), python2.6-dbg (>= 2.6.6-1~)
+Depends: ${misc:Depends}, python (= ${binary:Version}), python2.7-dbg (>= 2.7.1-1~)
 Provides: python-gdbm-dbg, python-tk-dbg
-Description: debug build of the Python Interpreter (version 2.6)
+Description: debug build of the Python Interpreter (version 2.7)
  Python interpreter configured with --pydebug. Dynamically loaded modules are
- searched in /usr/lib/python2.6/lib-dynload/debug first.
+ searched in /usr/lib/python2.7/lib-dynload/debug first.
 
 Package: python-all
 Architecture: all
diff --git a/debian/control.in b/debian/control.in
index 2571e8b8438b06022ad5cfb6cf40e89e699bd87e..abecddb1d02087beebed01e22d53dcaa022de536 100644
--- a/debian/control.in
+++ b/debian/control.in
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ Suggests: python-doc (= ${binary:Version}), python-tk (= ${binary:Version}), pyt
 Conflicts: python-central (<< 0.5.5)
 Breaks: python-csv (<< 1.0-4), python-bz2 (<< 1.1-8), python-email (<< 2.5.5-3)
 Replaces: python-dev (<< 2.6.5-2)
-Provides: python-email, python-ctypes, python-wsgiref
+Provides: python-email, python-ctypes, python-wsgiref, python-importlib
 Description: interactive high-level object-oriented language (default version)
  Python, the high-level, interactive object oriented language,
  includes an extensive class library with lots of goodies for
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ Priority: standard
 Depends: ${misc:Depends}, @PVER@-minimal (>= @PREVVER@), dpkg (>= 1.13.20)
 Recommends: python
 Conflicts: python-central (<< 0.5.5)
-Breaks: python (<= 2.4-1), python-dev (<< 2.6), python-dbg (<< 2.6), python-all (<< 2.6), python-all-dev (<< 2.6), python-all-dbg (<< 2.6), python-examples (<< 2.6), idle (<< 2.6), python2.5-minimal (<< 2.5.5-7), python2.6-minimal (<< 2.6.5~rc2-2), python3.1-minimal (<< 3.1.2~rc1-2), python-support (<< 1.0.12)
+Breaks: python (<= 2.4-1), python-dev (<< 2.6), python-dbg (<< 2.6), python-all (<< 2.6), python-all-dev (<< 2.6), python-all-dbg (<< 2.6), python-examples (<< 2.6), idle (<< 2.6), python2.5-minimal (<< 2.5.5-7), python2.6-minimal (<< 2.6.5~rc2-2), python3.1-minimal (<< 3.1.2~rc1-2), python-support (<< 1.0.10ubuntu2)
 Replaces: python (<= 2.4-1)
 Description: minimal subset of the Python language (default version)
  This package contains the interpreter and some essential modules.  It's used
diff --git a/debian/debian_defaults b/debian/debian_defaults
index 7993567558e99cedfed6d4ea93bdb6fc36377654..ddb5386c04da3427b9f03809f277b05727f9f39b 100644
--- a/debian/debian_defaults
+++ b/debian/debian_defaults
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [DEFAULT]
 # the default python version
-default-version = python2.6
+default-version = python2.7
 
 # all supported python versions
 supported-versions = python2.6, python2.7
diff --git a/debian/python.postinst.in b/debian/python.postinst.in
index f89a2479061dfe408614e8dda90c27a49e4832b6..3650af62434ed3e4aae728b4279560763cfecb1a 100644
--- a/debian/python.postinst.in
+++ b/debian/python.postinst.in
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ case "$1" in
             done
 	fi
 
-        if [ -n "$2" ] && dpkg --compare-versions $2 lt 2.6.4-1~; then
+        if [ -n "$2" ] && dpkg --compare-versions $2 lt 2.7.1-1~; then
 	    oldv=$(echo $2 | sed 's/^\(...\).*/\1/')
 	    if [ "$DEBIAN_FRONTEND" != noninteractive ]; then
 		echo "running python rtupdate hooks for @PVER@..."
diff --git a/debian/python.preinst.in b/debian/python.preinst.in
index d59e2c1d2e0e1967dd2c15247b5f6a048cc92638..240c02f62934a6616c47756c57320426acc6bb24 100644
--- a/debian/python.preinst.in
+++ b/debian/python.preinst.in
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ update-alternatives --remove python /usr/bin/python2.2 || true
 
 case "$1" in
     upgrade)
-        if dpkg --compare-versions $2 lt 2.4; then
+        if dpkg --compare-versions $2 lt 2.6.1-1~; then
 	    oldv=$(echo $2 | sed 's/^\(...\).*/\1/')
 	    if [ "$DEBIAN_FRONTEND" != noninteractive ]; then
 		echo "running python pre-rtupdate hooks for @PVER@..."
diff --git a/debian/pyversions.py b/debian/pyversions.py
index d897e2fcfaaa330ef884cd0533189ac53c4dfba8..249a8e2b63623d9a3669e63bca42ec3092856c9d 100644
--- a/debian/pyversions.py
+++ b/debian/pyversions.py
@@ -138,7 +138,7 @@ def supported_versions(version_only=False):
             if not _supported_versions:
                 # last resort: python-minimal not installed, apt-cache
                 # not available, hard code the value, #394084
-                _supported_versions = ['python2.5', 'python2.6']
+                _supported_versions = ['python2.6', 'python2.7']
     if version_only:
         return [v[6:] for v in _supported_versions]
     else:
diff --git a/debian/rules b/debian/rules
index 01658082893fc1b388f0dab435ff75220fed8e56..be60abad5e3661a188dcbe1baeda2ea5e86ed522 100755
--- a/debian/rules
+++ b/debian/rules
@@ -15,12 +15,12 @@ PKGVERSION := $(word 2, $(changelog_values))
 
 distribution := $(shell lsb_release -is)
 
-export VER=2.6
-export NVER=2.7
-export PVER=python2.6
+export VER=2.7
+export NVER=2.8
+export PVER=python2.7
 
 PREVVER	:= $(shell awk '/^python/ && NR > 1 {print substr($$2,2,length($$2)-2); exit}' debian/changelog)
-PREVVER := 2.6.6-1~
+PREVVER := 2.7.1-1~
 
 PWD		:= $(shell pwd)