diff --git a/src/poetry/config/config.py b/src/poetry/config/config.py
index 720e479f48f..041e81ba4c8 100644
--- a/src/poetry/config/config.py
+++ b/src/poetry/config/config.py
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ class Config:
             "in-project": None,
             "path": os.path.join("{cache-dir}", "virtualenvs"),
             "options": {"always-copy": False, "system-site-packages": False},
+            "prefer-shell-python": False,
         },
         "experimental": {"new-installer": True},
         "installer": {"parallel": True, "max-workers": None},
@@ -140,6 +141,7 @@ def _get_normalizer(name: str) -> Callable:
             "virtualenvs.in-project",
             "virtualenvs.options.always-copy",
             "virtualenvs.options.system-site-packages",
+            "virtualenvs.options.prefer-shell-python",
             "experimental.new-installer",
             "installer.parallel",
         }:
diff --git a/src/poetry/console/application.py b/src/poetry/console/application.py
index 6d398910909..b5b30b58a23 100644
--- a/src/poetry/console/application.py
+++ b/src/poetry/console/application.py
@@ -294,21 +294,21 @@ def configure_env(
         executable = None
         find_compatible = None
 
-        # add on option to trigger this
-        with contextlib.suppress(CalledProcessError):
-            executable = decode(
-                subprocess.check_output(
-                    list_to_shell_command(
-                        [
-                            "python",
-                            "-c",
-                            '"import sys; print(sys.executable)"',
-                        ]
-                    ),
-                    shell=True,
-                ).strip()
-            )
-            find_compatible = True
+        if poetry.config.get("virtualenvs").get("prefer-shell-python"):
+            with contextlib.suppress(CalledProcessError):
+                executable = decode(
+                    subprocess.check_output(
+                        list_to_shell_command(
+                            [
+                                "python",
+                                "-c",
+                                '"import sys; print(sys.executable)"',
+                            ]
+                        ),
+                        shell=True,
+                    ).strip()
+                )
+                find_compatible = True
 
         env_manager = EnvManager(poetry)
         env = env_manager.create_venv(
diff --git a/src/poetry/console/commands/config.py b/src/poetry/console/commands/config.py
index eba22e636b2..9b0ddf7ac63 100644
--- a/src/poetry/console/commands/config.py
+++ b/src/poetry/console/commands/config.py
@@ -78,6 +78,11 @@ def unique_config_values(self) -> Dict[str, Tuple[Any, Any, Any]]:
                 lambda val: str(Path(val)),
                 str(Path(CACHE_DIR) / "virtualenvs"),
             ),
+            "virtualenvs.prefer-shell-python": (
+                boolean_validator,
+                boolean_normalizer,
+                False,
+            ),
             "experimental.new-installer": (
                 boolean_validator,
                 boolean_normalizer,
diff --git a/tests/console/commands/test_config.py b/tests/console/commands/test_config.py
index b136ca29c73..87e6889785e 100644
--- a/tests/console/commands/test_config.py
+++ b/tests/console/commands/test_config.py
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ def test_list_displays_default_value_if_not_set(
 virtualenvs.options.always-copy = false
 virtualenvs.options.system-site-packages = false
 virtualenvs.path = {path}  # {virtualenvs}
+virtualenvs.prefer-shell-python = false
 """.format(
         cache=json.dumps(str(config_cache_dir)),
         path=json.dumps(os.path.join("{cache-dir}", "virtualenvs")),
@@ -79,6 +80,7 @@ def test_list_displays_set_get_setting(
 virtualenvs.options.always-copy = false
 virtualenvs.options.system-site-packages = false
 virtualenvs.path = {path}  # {virtualenvs}
+virtualenvs.prefer-shell-python = false
 """.format(
         cache=json.dumps(str(config_cache_dir)),
         path=json.dumps(os.path.join("{cache-dir}", "virtualenvs")),
@@ -128,6 +130,7 @@ def test_list_displays_set_get_local_setting(
 virtualenvs.options.always-copy = false
 virtualenvs.options.system-site-packages = false
 virtualenvs.path = {path}  # {virtualenvs}
+virtualenvs.prefer-shell-python = false
 """.format(
         cache=json.dumps(str(config_cache_dir)),
         path=json.dumps(os.path.join("{cache-dir}", "virtualenvs")),