diff --git a/dh_python2 b/dh_python2
index 04b50528fcce965701bdc826e4bc4846142de41d..fb080c2862a183f43948f38d58dc54a36cfbcc7d 100755
--- a/dh_python2
+++ b/dh_python2
@@ -632,7 +632,7 @@ def main():
                 shebangs = list(v for i, v in details.get('shebangs', []) if v)
                 if not options.ignore_shebangs and len(shebangs) == 1:
                     # only one version from shebang
-                    args += "-V %s" % vrepr(shebangs[0])
+                    args += " -V %s" % vrepr(shebangs[0])
                 elif options.vrange and options.vrange != (None, None):
                     args += " -V %s" % vrange_str(options.vrange)
             elif False in ext_for: