--- CMakeLists.txt.orig	2021-12-01 02:34:49 UTC
+++ CMakeLists.txt
@@ -132,8 +132,7 @@ option(OCIO_BUILD_FROZEN_DOCS "Specify whether to buil
 option(OCIO_BUILD_DOCS "Specify whether to build documentation" ${OCIO_BUILD_FROZEN_DOCS})
 
 option(OCIO_BUILD_PYTHON "Specify whether to build python bindings" ON)
-set (OCIO_PYTHON_VERSION "" CACHE STRING
-     "Preferred Python version (if any) in case multiple are available")
+option(OCIO_PYTHON_VERSION "Preferred Python version (if any) in case multiple are available" 3.8)
 
 option(OCIO_BUILD_JAVA "Specify whether to build java bindings" OFF)
