diff --git a/phonemizer/backend/espeak.py b/phonemizer/backend/espeak.py
index 387c11c..ceb5e7e 100644
--- a/phonemizer/backend/espeak.py
+++ b/phonemizer/backend/espeak.py
@@ -81,10 +81,7 @@ class BaseEspeakBackend(BaseBackend):
         if _ESPEAK_DEFAULT_PATH:
             return _ESPEAK_DEFAULT_PATH
 
-        espeak = distutils.spawn.find_executable('espeak-ng')
-        if not espeak:  # pragma: nocover
-            espeak = distutils.spawn.find_executable('espeak')
-        return espeak
+        return "@espeak@"
 
     @classmethod
     def is_available(cls):
diff --git a/phonemizer/backend/festival.py b/phonemizer/backend/festival.py
index b5bc56d..0833160 100644
--- a/phonemizer/backend/festival.py
+++ b/phonemizer/backend/festival.py
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ class FestivalBackend(BaseBackend):
         if _FESTIVAL_DEFAULT_PATH:
             return _FESTIVAL_DEFAULT_PATH
 
-        return distutils.spawn.find_executable('festival')
+        return "@festival@"
 
     @classmethod
     def is_available(cls):