use shutil.which() to detect the active python

src/poetry/utils/env.py

@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 import platform
 import plistlib
 import re
+import shutil
 import subprocess
 import sys
 import sysconfig
@@ -532,26 +533,31 @@ def _full_python_path(python: str) -> Path:
     @staticmethod
     def _detect_active_python(io: None | IO = None) -> Path | None:
         io = io or NullIO()
+        io.write_error_line(
+            (
+                "Trying to detect current active python executable as specified in"
+                " the config."
+            ),
+            verbosity=Verbosity.VERBOSE,
+        )
+
         executable = None
+        python = shutil.which("python")
+        if python is not None:
+            with contextlib.suppress(EnvCommandError):
+                executable = EnvManager._full_python_path(python)
 
-        try:
-            io.write_error_line(
-                (
-                    "Trying to detect current active python executable as specified in"
-                    " the config."
-                ),
-                verbosity=Verbosity.VERBOSE,
-            )
-            executable = EnvManager._full_python_path("python")
+        if executable is not None:
             io.write_error_line(f"Found: {executable}", verbosity=Verbosity.VERBOSE)
-        except EnvCommandError:
+        else:
             io.write_error_line(
                 (
                     "Unable to detect the current active python executable. Falling"
                     " back to default."
                 ),
                 verbosity=Verbosity.VERBOSE,
             )
+
         return executable
 
     @staticmethod