diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 345b591a8c5c0..5a31918e4d85a 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -27,6 +27,9 @@ libplacebo = dependency('libplacebo', version: '>=6.338.0')
 
 libass = dependency('libass', version: '>= 0.12.2')
 
+testing_python = find_program('testing_python.py')
+run_command(python, testing_python, check: true)
+
 # the dependency order of libass -> ffmpeg is necessary due to
 # static linking symbol resolution between fontconfig and MinGW
 dependencies = [libass,
diff --git a/testing_python.py b/testing_python.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..690907818b70f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/testing_python.py
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+print("hi")