diff --git a/ansible_mitogen/mixins.py b/ansible_mitogen/mixins.py
index 2f66961b..c34aa68a 100644
--- a/ansible_mitogen/mixins.py
+++ b/ansible_mitogen/mixins.py
@@ -485,8 +485,7 @@ class ActionModuleMixin(ansible.plugins.action.ActionBase):
             # TODO: what exception is thrown?
             except:
                 # we've reached the last python attempted and failed
-                # TODO: could use enumerate(), need to check which version of python first had it though
-                if possible_python == 'python':
+                if possible_python == possible_pythons[-1]:
                     raise
                 else:
                     continue
diff --git a/docs/changelog.rst b/docs/changelog.rst
index e5f3340b..c6320bae 100644
--- a/docs/changelog.rst
+++ b/docs/changelog.rst
@@ -30,6 +30,8 @@ In progress (unreleased)
   discovery attributes
 * :gh:issue:`1213` :mod:`ansible_mitogen`: Rename Mitogen interpreter discovery
   attributes
+* :gh:issue:`1213` :mod:`ansible_mitogen`: Decouple possible_pythons order &
+  error handling
 
 
 v0.3.21 (2025-01-20)