diff --git a/Lib/sysconfig/__init__.py b/Lib/sysconfig/__init__.py
index 80aef344711..43f9276799b 100644
--- a/Lib/sysconfig/__init__.py
+++ b/Lib/sysconfig/__init__.py
@@ -340,7 +340,20 @@ def _init_posix(vars):
     """Initialize the module as appropriate for POSIX systems."""
     # _sysconfigdata is generated at build time, see _generate_posix_vars()
     name = _get_sysconfigdata_name()
-    _temp = __import__(name, globals(), locals(), ['build_time_vars'], 0)
+
+    # For cross builds, the path to the target's sysconfigdata must be specified
+    # so it can be imported. It cannot be in PYTHONPATH, as foreign modules in
+    # sys.path can cause crashes when loaded by the host interpreter.
+    # Rely on truthiness as a valueless env variable is still an empty string.
+    # See OS X note in _generate_posix_vars re _sysconfigdata.
+    if (path := os.environ.get('_PYTHON_SYSCONFIGDATA_PATH')):
+        from importlib.machinery import FileFinder, SourceFileLoader, SOURCE_SUFFIXES
+        from importlib.util import module_from_spec
+        spec = FileFinder(path, (SourceFileLoader, SOURCE_SUFFIXES)).find_spec(name)
+        _temp = module_from_spec(spec)
+        spec.loader.exec_module(_temp)
+    else:
+        _temp = __import__(name, globals(), locals(), ['build_time_vars'], 0)
     build_time_vars = _temp.build_time_vars
     vars.update(build_time_vars)
 
diff --git a/Lib/test/libregrtest/main.py b/Lib/test/libregrtest/main.py
index f693a788048..2ef4349552b 100644
--- a/Lib/test/libregrtest/main.py
+++ b/Lib/test/libregrtest/main.py
@@ -594,6 +594,7 @@ class Regrtest:
                 '_PYTHON_PROJECT_BASE',
                 '_PYTHON_HOST_PLATFORM',
                 '_PYTHON_SYSCONFIGDATA_NAME',
+                "_PYTHON_SYSCONFIGDATA_PATH",
                 'PYTHONPATH'
             }
             old_environ = os.environ
diff --git a/Lib/test/pythoninfo.py b/Lib/test/pythoninfo.py
index 05a28bda2d3..0b2e4b1c198 100644
--- a/Lib/test/pythoninfo.py
+++ b/Lib/test/pythoninfo.py
@@ -334,6 +334,7 @@ def collect_os(info_add):
         "_PYTHON_HOST_PLATFORM",
         "_PYTHON_PROJECT_BASE",
         "_PYTHON_SYSCONFIGDATA_NAME",
+        "_PYTHON_SYSCONFIGDATA_PATH",
         "__PYVENV_LAUNCHER__",
 
         # Sanitizer options
diff --git a/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Build/2024-03-03-20-28-23.gh-issue-115382.97hJFE.rst b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Build/2024-03-03-20-28-23.gh-issue-115382.97hJFE.rst
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..f8d19651fc5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Build/2024-03-03-20-28-23.gh-issue-115382.97hJFE.rst
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Fix cross compile failures when the host and target SOABIs match.
diff --git a/configure b/configure
index 17c70d25f9e..b11f41d5379 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -3708,7 +3708,7 @@ fi
     fi
         ac_cv_prog_PYTHON_FOR_REGEN=$with_build_python
     PYTHON_FOR_FREEZE="$with_build_python"
-    PYTHON_FOR_BUILD='_PYTHON_PROJECT_BASE=$(abs_builddir) _PYTHON_HOST_PLATFORM=$(_PYTHON_HOST_PLATFORM) PYTHONPATH=$(shell test -f pybuilddir.txt && echo $(abs_builddir)/`cat pybuilddir.txt`:)$(srcdir)/Lib _PYTHON_SYSCONFIGDATA_NAME=_sysconfigdata_$(ABIFLAGS)_$(MACHDEP)_$(MULTIARCH) '$with_build_python
+    PYTHON_FOR_BUILD='_PYTHON_PROJECT_BASE=$(abs_builddir) _PYTHON_HOST_PLATFORM=$(_PYTHON_HOST_PLATFORM) PYTHONPATH=$(srcdir)/Lib _PYTHON_SYSCONFIGDATA_NAME=_sysconfigdata_$(ABIFLAGS)_$(MACHDEP)_$(MULTIARCH) _PYTHON_SYSCONFIGDATA_PATH=$(shell test -f pybuilddir.txt && echo $(abs_builddir)/`cat pybuilddir.txt`) '$with_build_python
     { printf "%s\n" "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: result: $with_build_python" >&5
 printf "%s\n" "$with_build_python" >&6; }
 
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 56daa8b0f79..d5bc739c34c 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -164,7 +164,7 @@ AC_ARG_WITH([build-python],
     dnl Build Python interpreter is used for regeneration and freezing.
     ac_cv_prog_PYTHON_FOR_REGEN=$with_build_python
     PYTHON_FOR_FREEZE="$with_build_python"
-    PYTHON_FOR_BUILD='_PYTHON_PROJECT_BASE=$(abs_builddir) _PYTHON_HOST_PLATFORM=$(_PYTHON_HOST_PLATFORM) PYTHONPATH=$(shell test -f pybuilddir.txt && echo $(abs_builddir)/`cat pybuilddir.txt`:)$(srcdir)/Lib _PYTHON_SYSCONFIGDATA_NAME=_sysconfigdata_$(ABIFLAGS)_$(MACHDEP)_$(MULTIARCH) '$with_build_python
+    PYTHON_FOR_BUILD='_PYTHON_PROJECT_BASE=$(abs_builddir) _PYTHON_HOST_PLATFORM=$(_PYTHON_HOST_PLATFORM) PYTHONPATH=$(srcdir)/Lib _PYTHON_SYSCONFIGDATA_NAME=_sysconfigdata_$(ABIFLAGS)_$(MACHDEP)_$(MULTIARCH) _PYTHON_SYSCONFIGDATA_PATH=$(shell test -f pybuilddir.txt && echo $(abs_builddir)/`cat pybuilddir.txt`) '$with_build_python
     AC_MSG_RESULT([$with_build_python])
   ], [
     AS_VAR_IF([cross_compiling], [yes],