diff --git a/extensions/python/package.json b/extensions/python/package.json
index 967436313ea..48151bd6245 100644
--- a/extensions/python/package.json
+++ b/extensions/python/package.json
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
 			"id": "python",
 			"extensions": [ ".py", ".rpy", ".pyw", ".cpy", ".gyp", ".gypi", ".snakefile", ".smk"],
 			"aliases": [ "Python", "py" ],
-			"firstLine": "^#!/.*\\bpython[0-9.-]*\\b",
+			"firstLine": "^#!\\s*/.*\\bpython[0-9.-]*\\b",
 			"configuration": "./language-configuration.json"
 		}],
 		"grammars": [{