diff --git a/common/lib/codejail/codejail/django_integration.py b/common/lib/codejail/codejail/django_integration.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..52306ba6f1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/common/lib/codejail/codejail/django_integration.py
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+"""Django integration for codejail"""
+
+from django.core.exceptions import MiddlewareNotUsed
+from django.conf import settings
+
+import codejail.jailpy
+
+class ConfigureCodeJailMiddleware(object):
+    """Middleware to configure codejail on startup."""
+
+    def __init__(self):
+        python_bin = settings.CODE_JAIL.get('python_bin')
+        if python_bin:
+            user = settings.CODE_JAIL['user']
+            codejail.jailpy.configure(python_bin, user=user)
+        raise MiddlewareNotUsed
diff --git a/common/lib/codejail/codejail/jailpy.py b/common/lib/codejail/codejail/jailpy.py
index 2a8fd61b98..8f68ab33de 100644
--- a/common/lib/codejail/codejail/jailpy.py
+++ b/common/lib/codejail/codejail/jailpy.py
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import os, os.path
 import resource
 import shutil
 import subprocess
+import sys
 import threading
 import time
 
@@ -16,21 +17,24 @@ from .util import temp_directory
 
 # Configure the Python command
 
-SANDBOX_POSSIBILITIES = [
-    "~/mitx_all/python-sandbox/bin/python",
-    "/usr/bin/python-sandbox",
-]
+PYTHON_CMD = None
 
-for sandbox_python in SANDBOX_POSSIBILITIES:
-    sandbox_python = os.path.expanduser(sandbox_python)
-    if os.path.exists(sandbox_python):
-        PYTHON_CMD = [
-            'sudo', '-u', 'sandbox',
-            sandbox_python, '-E',
-        ]
-        break
-else:
-    raise Exception("Couldn't find Python sandbox")
+def configure(python_bin, user=None):
+    """Configure the jailpy module."""
+    global PYTHON_CMD
+    PYTHON_CMD = []
+    if user:
+        PYTHON_CMD.extend(['sudo', '-u', 'sandbox'])
+    PYTHON_CMD.extend([python_bin, '-E'])
+
+def is_configured():
+    return bool(PYTHON_CMD)
+
+# By default, look where our current Python is, and maybe there's a
+# python-sandbox alongside.  Only do this if running in a virtualenv.
+if hasattr(sys, 'real_prefix'):
+    if os.path.isdir(sys.prefix + "-sandbox"):
+        configure(sys.prefix + "-sandbox/bin/python", "sandbox")
 
 
 class JailResult(object):
@@ -52,6 +56,9 @@ def jailpy(code, files=None, argv=None, stdin=None):
         .status: return status of the process: an int, 0 for successful
 
     """
+    if not PYTHON_CMD:
+        raise Exception("jailpy needs to be configured")
+
     with temp_directory(delete_when_done=True) as tmpdir:
 
         # All the supporting files are copied into our directory.
diff --git a/common/lib/codejail/codejail/tests/test_jailpy.py b/common/lib/codejail/codejail/tests/test_jailpy.py
index 74c475b63d..3c6d13b714 100644
--- a/common/lib/codejail/codejail/tests/test_jailpy.py
+++ b/common/lib/codejail/codejail/tests/test_jailpy.py
@@ -4,12 +4,17 @@ import textwrap
 import unittest
 from nose.plugins.skip import SkipTest
 
-from codejail.jailpy import jailpy
+from codejail.jailpy import jailpy, is_configured
 
 dedent = textwrap.dedent
 
 class JailPyHelpers(object):
     """Assert helpers for jailpy tests."""
+    def setUp(self):
+        super(JailPyHelpers, self).setUp()
+        if not is_configured():
+            raise SkipTest
+
     def assertResultOk(self, res):
         self.assertEqual(res.stderr, "")
         self.assertEqual(res.status, 0)
diff --git a/lms/envs/common.py b/lms/envs/common.py
index 32a213f06e..b99efd60c3 100644
--- a/lms/envs/common.py
+++ b/lms/envs/common.py
@@ -242,6 +242,16 @@ MODULESTORE = {
 }
 CONTENTSTORE = None
 
+#################### Python sandbox ############################################
+
+CODE_JAIL = {
+    # Path to a sandboxed Python executable.  None means don't bother.
+    'python_bin': None,
+    # User to run as in the sandbox.
+    'user': 'sandbox',
+}
+
+
 ############################ SIGNAL HANDLERS ################################
 # This is imported to register the exception signal handling that logs exceptions
 import monitoring.exceptions  # noqa
@@ -385,6 +395,7 @@ MIDDLEWARE_CLASSES = (
     # 'debug_toolbar.middleware.DebugToolbarMiddleware',
 
     'django_comment_client.utils.ViewNameMiddleware',
+    'codejail.django_integration.ConfigureCodeJailMiddleware',
 )
 
 ############################### Pipeline #######################################