diff --git a/easybuild/easyblocks/generic/pythonbundle.py b/easybuild/easyblocks/generic/pythonbundle.py
index a3913148bd1..ae66d3b21c7 100644
--- a/easybuild/easyblocks/generic/pythonbundle.py
+++ b/easybuild/easyblocks/generic/pythonbundle.py
@@ -99,9 +99,10 @@ def prepare_python(self):
 
         # if 'python' is not used, we need to take that into account in the extensions filter
         # (which is also used during the sanity check)
-        with self.cfg.disable_templating():
-            orig_exts_filter = self.cfg['exts_filter']
-            self.cfg['exts_filter'] = (orig_exts_filter[0].replace('python', self.python_cmd), orig_exts_filter[1])
+        if self.python_cmd != 'python':
+            with self.cfg.disable_templating():
+                orig_exts_filter = self.cfg['exts_filter']
+                self.cfg['exts_filter'] = (orig_exts_filter[0].replace('python', self.python_cmd), orig_exts_filter[1])
 
     def prepare_step(self, *args, **kwargs):
         """Prepare for installing bundle of Python packages."""
diff --git a/easybuild/easyblocks/generic/pythonpackage.py b/easybuild/easyblocks/generic/pythonpackage.py
index adb92de9edb..59b4d87dbbf 100644
--- a/easybuild/easyblocks/generic/pythonpackage.py
+++ b/easybuild/easyblocks/generic/pythonpackage.py
@@ -852,7 +852,7 @@ def install_dummy_package(self):
         ]
 
         # make dist-info directory
-        dist_info_name = f"{self.name.replace('-','_')}-{self.version}.dist-info"
+        dist_info_name = self.name.replace('-', '_') + f"-{self.version}.dist-info"
         dist_info_path = os.path.join(self.installdir, self.pylibdir, dist_info_name)
         mkdir(dist_info_path, parents=True)
 
@@ -860,7 +860,7 @@ def install_dummy_package(self):
         metadata_path = os.path.join(dist_info_path, 'METADATA')
         write_file(metadata_path, '\n'.join(py_package_metadata))
 
-        self.log.info(f"Installation of dummy package for {self.name}-{self.version} successfull")
+        self.log.info(f"Installation of dummy package for {self.name}-{self.version} successfull: {metadata_path}")
 
     def py_post_install_shenanigans(self, install_dir):
         """
@@ -1222,15 +1222,15 @@ def sanity_check_step(self, *args, **kwargs):
         # (we can not pass this via custom_paths, since then the %(pyshortver)s template value will not be resolved)
         if not self.is_extension:
             site_package_dir = os.path.join('lib', 'python%(pyshortver)s', 'site-packages')
-            default_sanity_dirs = [site_package_dir]
 
+            custom_paths_files = []
             if self.cfg.get('dummy_package', False):
-                dist_info_name = f"{self.name.replace('-','_')}-{self.version}.dist-info"
-                default_sanity_dirs.append(os.path.join(site_package_dir, dist_info_name))
+                dist_info_name = self.name.replace('-', '_') + f'-{self.version}.dist-info'
+                custom_paths_files.append(os.path.join(site_package_dir, dist_info_name, 'METADATA'))
 
             kwargs.setdefault('custom_paths', {
-                'files': [],
-                'dirs': default_sanity_dirs,
+                'files': custom_paths_files,
+                'dirs': [site_package_dir],
             })
 
         # make sure 'exts_filter' argument is defined, which is used for sanity check