diff --git a/tools/run_tests/build_python.sh b/tools/run_tests/build_python.sh
index 4abb412c95a..b45b9d6106e 100755
--- a/tools/run_tests/build_python.sh
+++ b/tools/run_tests/build_python.sh
@@ -5,7 +5,11 @@ set -ex
 # change to grpc repo root
 cd $(dirname $0)/../..
 
+make -j6
+
 root=`pwd`
 virtualenv python2.7_virtual_environment
-python2.7_virtual_environment/bin/pip install enum34==1.0.4 futures==2.2.0 protobuf==2.6.1
-python2.7_virtual_environment/bin/pip install src/python
+ln -sf $root/include/grpc python2.7_virtual_environment/include/grpc
+source python2.7_virtual_environment/bin/activate
+pip install enum34==1.0.4 futures==2.2.0 protobuf==2.6.1
+CFLAGS=-I$root/include LDFLAGS=-L$root/libs/opt pip install src/python
diff --git a/tools/run_tests/run_python.sh b/tools/run_tests/run_python.sh
index 6e9405afb6f..7d3ee73a0e4 100755
--- a/tools/run_tests/run_python.sh
+++ b/tools/run_tests/run_python.sh
@@ -6,19 +6,21 @@ set -ex
 cd $(dirname $0)/../..
 
 root=`pwd`
+export LD_LIBRARY_PATH=$root/libs/opt
+source python2.7_virtual_environment/bin/activate
 # TODO(issue 215): Properly itemize these in run_tests.py so that they can be parallelized.
-python2.7_virtual_environment/bin/python2.7 -B -m _adapter._blocking_invocation_inline_service_test
-python2.7_virtual_environment/bin/python2.7 -B -m _adapter._c_test
-python2.7_virtual_environment/bin/python2.7 -B -m _adapter._event_invocation_synchronous_event_service_test
-python2.7_virtual_environment/bin/python2.7 -B -m _adapter._future_invocation_asynchronous_event_service_test
-python2.7_virtual_environment/bin/python2.7 -B -m _adapter._links_test
-python2.7_virtual_environment/bin/python2.7 -B -m _adapter._lonely_rear_link_test
-python2.7_virtual_environment/bin/python2.7 -B -m _adapter._low_test
-python2.7_virtual_environment/bin/python2.7 -B -m _framework.base.packets.implementations_test
-python2.7_virtual_environment/bin/python2.7 -B -m _framework.face.blocking_invocation_inline_service_test
-python2.7_virtual_environment/bin/python2.7 -B -m _framework.face.event_invocation_synchronous_event_service_test
-python2.7_virtual_environment/bin/python2.7 -B -m _framework.face.future_invocation_asynchronous_event_service_test
-python2.7_virtual_environment/bin/python2.7 -B -m _framework.foundation._later_test
-python2.7_virtual_environment/bin/python2.7 -B -m _framework.foundation._logging_pool_test
+python2.7 -B -m _adapter._blocking_invocation_inline_service_test
+python2.7 -B -m _adapter._c_test
+python2.7 -B -m _adapter._event_invocation_synchronous_event_service_test
+python2.7 -B -m _adapter._future_invocation_asynchronous_event_service_test
+python2.7 -B -m _adapter._links_test
+python2.7 -B -m _adapter._lonely_rear_link_test
+python2.7 -B -m _adapter._low_test
+python2.7 -B -m _framework.base.packets.implementations_test
+python2.7 -B -m _framework.face.blocking_invocation_inline_service_test
+python2.7 -B -m _framework.face.event_invocation_synchronous_event_service_test
+python2.7 -B -m _framework.face.future_invocation_asynchronous_event_service_test
+python2.7 -B -m _framework.foundation._later_test
+python2.7 -B -m _framework.foundation._logging_pool_test
 # TODO(nathaniel): Get tests working under 3.4 (requires 3.X-friendly protobuf)
 # python3.4 -B -m unittest discover -s src/python -p '*.py'