diff --git a/dh_python2 b/dh_python2
index a2a1f65821cddec2d11036f1c0d8fb91875ef174..04b50528fcce965701bdc826e4bc4846142de41d 100755
--- a/dh_python2
+++ b/dh_python2
@@ -629,7 +629,11 @@ def main():
 
             ext_for = details.get('ext')
             if ext_for is None:  # no extension
-                if options.vrange and options.vrange != (None, None):
+                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])
+                elif options.vrange and options.vrange != (None, None):
                     args += " -V %s" % vrange_str(options.vrange)
             elif False in ext_for:
                 # at least one extension's version not detected