diff --git a/src/py/libcamera/meson.build b/src/py/libcamera/meson.build
index 456ee7932..33ab65798 100644
--- a/src/py/libcamera/meson.build
+++ b/src/py/libcamera/meson.build
@@ -1,21 +1,5 @@
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: CC0-1.0
 
-py3_dep = dependency('python3', required : get_option('pycamera'))
-
-if not py3_dep.found()
-    pycamera_enabled = false
-    subdir_done()
-endif
-
-pybind11_dep = dependency('pybind11', required : get_option('pycamera'))
-
-if not pybind11_dep.found()
-    pycamera_enabled = false
-    subdir_done()
-endif
-
-pycamera_enabled = true
-
 pycamera_sources = files([
     'py_camera_manager.cpp',
     'py_color_space.cpp',
diff --git a/src/py/meson.build b/src/py/meson.build
index a4586b4ae..922806971 100644
--- a/src/py/meson.build
+++ b/src/py/meson.build
@@ -1,3 +1,15 @@
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: CC0-1.0
 
+py3_dep = dependency('python3', required : get_option('pycamera'))
+pybind11_dep = dependency('pybind11', required : get_option('pycamera'))
+
+pycamera_enabled = py3_dep.found() and pybind11_dep.found()
+if not pycamera_enabled
+    subdir_done()
+endif
+
 subdir('libcamera')
+
+pycamera_devenv = environment()
+pycamera_devenv.prepend('PYTHONPATH', meson.current_build_dir())
+meson.add_devenv(pycamera_devenv)