diff --git a/pandaharvester/harvestermisc/k8s_utils.py b/pandaharvester/harvestermisc/k8s_utils.py
index e91d1f31..a0d51ba2 100644
--- a/pandaharvester/harvestermisc/k8s_utils.py
+++ b/pandaharvester/harvestermisc/k8s_utils.py
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
 
 # command and image defaults
 DEF_COMMAND = ["/usr/bin/bash"]
-DEF_ARGS = ["-c", "cd; python $EXEC_DIR/pilots_starter.py || true"]
+DEF_ARGS = ["-c", "cd; command -v python3 >/dev/null && python3 $EXEC_DIR/pilots_starter.py || python $EXEC_DIR/pilots_starter.py || true"]
 DEF_IMAGE = "atlasadc/atlas-grid-centos7"