diff --git a/Library/Homebrew/language/perl.rb b/Library/Homebrew/language/perl.rb
index a83379373c..aa3442fe63 100644
--- a/Library/Homebrew/language/perl.rb
+++ b/Library/Homebrew/language/perl.rb
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ module Language
 
       def detected_perl_shebang(formula = self)
         perl_path = if formula.uses_from_macos_elements&.include? "perl"
-          "/usr/bin/perl"
+          "/usr/bin/perl#{MacOS.preferred_perl_version}"
         elsif formula.deps.map(&:name).include? "perl"
           Formula["perl"].opt_bin/"perl"
         else
diff --git a/Library/Homebrew/test/language/perl/shebang_spec.rb b/Library/Homebrew/test/language/perl/shebang_spec.rb
index 8dbffe0b4c..38719dd709 100644
--- a/Library/Homebrew/test/language/perl/shebang_spec.rb
+++ b/Library/Homebrew/test/language/perl/shebang_spec.rb
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ describe Language::Perl::Shebang do
       Utils::Shebang.rewrite_shebang described_class.detected_perl_shebang(f), file
 
       expected_shebang = if OS.mac?
-        "/usr/bin/perl"
+        "/usr/bin/perl#{MacOS.preferred_perl_version}"
       else
         HOMEBREW_PREFIX/"opt/perl/bin/perl"
       end