diff --git a/easybuild/easyblocks/generic/bundle.py b/easybuild/easyblocks/generic/bundle.py
index 3c8c93e77d9..3d0d28221f5 100644
--- a/easybuild/easyblocks/generic/bundle.py
+++ b/easybuild/easyblocks/generic/bundle.py
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@
 @author: Pieter De Baets (Ghent University)
 @author: Jens Timmerman (Ghent University)
 """
+import copy
 import os
 
 import easybuild.tools.environment as env
@@ -86,6 +87,18 @@ def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
 
             cfg = self.cfg.copy()
 
+            easyblock = comp_specs.get('easyblock') or self.cfg['default_easyblock']
+            if easyblock is None:
+                raise EasyBuildError("No easyblock specified for component %s v%s", cfg['name'], cfg['version'])
+            elif easyblock == 'Bundle':
+                raise EasyBuildError("The Bundle easyblock can not be used to install components in a bundle")
+
+            cfg.easyblock = get_easyblock_class(easyblock, name=cfg['name'])
+
+            # make sure that extra easyconfig parameters are known, so they can be set
+            extra_opts = cfg.easyblock.extra_options()
+            cfg.extend_params(copy.deepcopy(extra_opts))
+
             cfg['name'] = comp_name
             cfg['version'] = comp_version
             cfg.generate_template_values()
@@ -162,21 +175,19 @@ def install_step(self):
         """Install components, if specified."""
         comp_cnt = len(self.cfg['components'])
         for idx, cfg in enumerate(self.comp_cfgs):
-            easyblock = cfg.get('easyblock') or self.cfg['default_easyblock']
-            if easyblock is None:
-                raise EasyBuildError("No easyblock specified for component %s v%s", cfg['name'], cfg['version'])
-            elif easyblock == 'Bundle':
-                raise EasyBuildError("The '%s' easyblock can not be used to install components in a bundle", easyblock)
 
             print_msg("installing bundle component %s v%s (%d/%d)..." % (cfg['name'], cfg['version'], idx+1, comp_cnt))
-            self.log.info("Installing component %s v%s using easyblock %s", cfg['name'], cfg['version'], easyblock)
+            self.log.info("Installing component %s v%s using easyblock %s", cfg['name'], cfg['version'], cfg.easyblock)
 
-            comp = get_easyblock_class(easyblock, name=cfg['name'])(cfg)
+            comp = cfg.easyblock(cfg)
 
             # correct build/install dirs
             comp.builddir = self.builddir
             comp.install_subdir, comp.installdir = self.install_subdir, self.installdir
 
+            # make sure we can build in parallel
+            comp.set_parallel()
+
             # figure out correct start directory
             comp.guess_start_dir()
 
diff --git a/easybuild/easyblocks/generic/pythonpackage.py b/easybuild/easyblocks/generic/pythonpackage.py
index faaa6efeb9b..e1b26a4bca9 100644
--- a/easybuild/easyblocks/generic/pythonpackage.py
+++ b/easybuild/easyblocks/generic/pythonpackage.py
@@ -404,6 +404,9 @@ def prepare_step(self, *args, **kwargs):
     def configure_step(self):
         """Configure Python package build/install."""
 
+        if self.python_cmd is None:
+            self.prepare_python()
+
         if self.sitecfg is not None:
             # used by some extensions, like numpy, to find certain libs