diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 6a6eeb660b..256a9dac9a 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -243,6 +243,8 @@ if (CATKIN_DEVEL_PREFIX)
 	endif()
 endif()
 
+# python
+include(px4_find_python_module)
 find_package(PythonInterp REQUIRED)
 
 option(PYTHON_COVERAGE "Python code coverage" OFF)
diff --git a/cmake/px4_base.cmake b/cmake/px4_base.cmake
index f69fb5384d..d7794ea6a5 100644
--- a/cmake/px4_base.cmake
+++ b/cmake/px4_base.cmake
@@ -111,43 +111,3 @@ function(px4_parse_function_args)
 	endforeach()
 
 endfunction()
-
-
-#=============================================================================
-#
-#	px4_find_python_module
-#
-#	Find a required python module
-#
-#   Usage
-#		px4_find_python_module(module_name [REQUIRED])
-#
-function(px4_find_python_module module)
-	string(TOUPPER ${module} module_upper)
-	if(NOT PY_${module_upper})
-		if(ARGC GREATER 1 AND ARGV1 STREQUAL "REQUIRED")
-			set(PY_${module}_FIND_REQUIRED TRUE)
-		endif()
-		# A module's location is usually a directory, but for binary modules
-		# it's a .so file.
-		execute_process(COMMAND "${PYTHON_EXECUTABLE}" "-c"
-			"import re, ${module}; print(re.compile('/__init__.py.*').sub('',${module}.__file__))"
-			RESULT_VARIABLE _${module}_status
-			OUTPUT_VARIABLE _${module}_location
-			ERROR_QUIET
-			OUTPUT_STRIP_TRAILING_WHITESPACE)
-		if(NOT _${module}_status)
-			set(PY_${module_upper} ${_${module}_location} CACHE STRING
-				"Location of Python module ${module}")
-		endif()
-	endif()
-	find_package_handle_standard_args(PY_${module}
-		"couldn't find python module ${module}:
-		\nfor debian systems try: \
-		\n\tsudo apt-get install python-${module} \
-		\nor for all other OSs/debian: \
-		\n\tsudo -H pip install ${module}\n" PY_${module_upper})
-	#if (NOT PY_${module}_FOUND)
-		#message(FATAL_ERROR "python module not found, exiting")
-	#endif()
-endfunction(px4_find_python_module)
diff --git a/cmake/px4_find_python_module.cmake b/cmake/px4_find_python_module.cmake
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..4412abd1be
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmake/px4_find_python_module.cmake
@@ -0,0 +1,70 @@
+############################################################################
+#
+# Copyright (c) 2019 PX4 Development Team. All rights reserved.
+#
+# Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
+# modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions
+# are met:
+#
+# 1. Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright
+#    notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
+# 2. Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright
+#    notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in
+#    the documentation and/or other materials provided with the
+#    distribution.
+# 3. Neither the name PX4 nor the names of its contributors may be
+#    used to endorse or promote products derived from this software
+#    without specific prior written permission.
+#
+# THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS
+# "AS IS" AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT
+# LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS
+# FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
+# COPYRIGHT OWNER OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT,
+# INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING,
+# BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS
+# OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED
+# AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT
+# LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN
+# ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE
+# POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
+#
+############################################################################
+
+#
+#	px4_find_python_module
+#
+#	Find a required python module
+#
+#   Usage
+#		px4_find_python_module(module_name [REQUIRED])
+#
+function(px4_find_python_module module)
+	string(TOUPPER ${module} module_upper)
+	if(NOT PY_${module_upper})
+		if(ARGC GREATER 1 AND ARGV1 STREQUAL "REQUIRED")
+			set(PY_${module}_FIND_REQUIRED TRUE)
+		endif()
+		# A module's location is usually a directory, but for binary modules
+		# it's a .so file.
+		execute_process(COMMAND "${PYTHON_EXECUTABLE}" "-c"
+			"import re, ${module}; print(re.compile('/__init__.py.*').sub('',${module}.__file__))"
+			RESULT_VARIABLE _${module}_status
+			OUTPUT_VARIABLE _${module}_location
+			ERROR_QUIET
+			OUTPUT_STRIP_TRAILING_WHITESPACE)
+		if(NOT _${module}_status)
+			set(PY_${module_upper} ${_${module}_location} CACHE STRING
+				"Location of Python module ${module}")
+		endif()
+	endif()
+	find_package_handle_standard_args(PY_${module}
+		"couldn't find python module ${module}:
+		\nfor debian systems try: \
+		\n\tsudo apt-get install python-${module} \
+		\nor for all other OSs/debian: \
+		\n\tsudo -H pip install ${module}\n" PY_${module_upper})
+	#if (NOT PY_${module}_FOUND)
+		#message(FATAL_ERROR "python module not found, exiting")
+	#endif()
+endfunction(px4_find_python_module)