diff --git a/src/sage_docbuild/builders.py b/src/sage_docbuild/builders.py
index 91035a01f1c..24f3d0c7c12 100644
--- a/src/sage_docbuild/builders.py
+++ b/src/sage_docbuild/builders.py
@@ -130,10 +130,9 @@ def builder_helper(type):
         logger.debug(build_command)
 
         # Run Sphinx with Sage's special logger
-        sys.argv = ["sphinx-build"] + build_command.split()
-        from .sphinxbuild import runsphinx
+        args = "python3 -um sage_docbuild.sphinxbuild -N".split() + build_command.split()
         try:
-            runsphinx()
+            subprocess.check_call(args)
         except Exception:
             if build_options.ABORT_ON_ERROR:
                 raise
diff --git a/src/sage_docbuild/sphinxbuild.py b/src/sage_docbuild/sphinxbuild.py
index 62b2d3cb112..aa7dc07741b 100644
--- a/src/sage_docbuild/sphinxbuild.py
+++ b/src/sage_docbuild/sphinxbuild.py
@@ -331,3 +331,8 @@ def runsphinx():
 
     if not sys.warnoptions:
         warnings.filters = original_filters[:]
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+    import sys
+    sys.argv[0] = "sphinx-build"
+    runsphinx()