diff --git a/Makefile.pre.in b/Makefile.pre.in
index f9b59e92f59..c21658d0a64 100644
--- a/Makefile.pre.in
+++ b/Makefile.pre.in
@@ -687,7 +687,15 @@ memtest:	all platform
 		$(TESTPYTHON) $(TESTPROG) $(MEMTESTOPTS)
 
 # Install everything
-install:	@FRAMEWORKINSTALLFIRST@ altinstall bininstall maninstall @FRAMEWORKINSTALLLAST@
+fullinstall:	@FRAMEWORKINSTALLFIRST@ altinstall bininstall maninstall @FRAMEWORKINSTALLLAST@
+
+# "make install" is an alias for "make altinstall" since we never want to
+# overwrite Python 2.x.
+install:	altinstall
+		echo "* Note: not installed as 'python'."
+		echo "* Use 'make fullinstall' to install as 'python'."
+		echo "* However, 'make fulinstall' is discouraged,"
+		echo "* as it will clobber your Python 2.x installation."
 
 # Install almost everything without disturbing previous versions
 altinstall:	@FRAMEWORKALTINSTALLFIRST@ altbininstall libinstall inclinstall libainstall \
diff --git a/Misc/NEWS b/Misc/NEWS
index 327c19939b5..1ff242aaf7a 100644
--- a/Misc/NEWS
+++ b/Misc/NEWS
@@ -32,6 +32,11 @@ Library
 Build
 -----
 
+- "make install" is now an alias for "make altinstall", to prevent
+  accidentally overwriting a Python 2.x installation.
+  Use "make fullinstall" to force Python 3.0 to be installed as
+  "python".
+
 - Issue #2544: On HP-UX systems, use 'gcc -shared' for linking when
   gcc is used as compiler.