diff --git a/SConstruct b/SConstruct
index 3f974f09c1..c6c8632560 100644
--- a/SConstruct
+++ b/SConstruct
@@ -41,7 +41,6 @@ assert arch in [
 
 pkg_names = ['bzip2', 'capnproto', 'eigen', 'ffmpeg', 'libjpeg', 'libyuv', 'ncurses', 'zeromq', 'zstd']
 pkgs = [importlib.import_module(name) for name in pkg_names]
-py_include = importlib.import_module('python3_dev').INCLUDE_DIR
 
 env = Environment(
   ENV={
@@ -163,7 +162,7 @@ if os.environ.get('SCONS_PROGRESS'):
 
 # ********** Cython build environment **********
 envCython = env.Clone()
-envCython["CPPPATH"] += [py_include, np.get_include()]
+envCython["CPPPATH"] += [sysconfig.get_paths()['include'], np.get_include()]
 envCython["CCFLAGS"] += ["-Wno-#warnings", "-Wno-cpp", "-Wno-shadow", "-Wno-deprecated-declarations"]
 envCython["CCFLAGS"].remove("-Werror")
 
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 5b77eb76d8..408513600f 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -32,7 +32,6 @@ dependencies = [
   "ffmpeg @ git+https://github.com/commaai/dependencies.git@releases#subdirectory=ffmpeg",
   "libjpeg @ git+https://github.com/commaai/dependencies.git@releases#subdirectory=libjpeg",
   "libyuv @ git+https://github.com/commaai/dependencies.git@releases#subdirectory=libyuv",
-  "python3-dev @ git+https://github.com/commaai/dependencies.git@releases#subdirectory=python3-dev",
   "zstd @ git+https://github.com/commaai/dependencies.git@releases#subdirectory=zstd",
   "ncurses @ git+https://github.com/commaai/dependencies.git@releases#subdirectory=ncurses",
   "zeromq @ git+https://github.com/commaai/dependencies.git@releases#subdirectory=zeromq",
@@ -248,3 +247,6 @@ unsupported-operator = "ignore"
 # Ignore not-subscriptable - false positives from dynamic types
 not-subscriptable = "ignore"
 # not-iterable errors are now fixed
+
+[tool.uv]
+python-preference = "only-managed"
diff --git a/tools/op.sh b/tools/op.sh
index 7c20403a27..f21a285d17 100755
--- a/tools/op.sh
+++ b/tools/op.sh
@@ -167,29 +167,6 @@ function op_check_os() {
   fi
 }
 
-function op_check_python() {
-  echo "Checking for compatible python version..."
-  REQUIRED_PYTHON_VERSION=$(grep "requires-python" $OPENPILOT_ROOT/pyproject.toml)
-  INSTALLED_PYTHON_VERSION=$(python3 --version 2> /dev/null || true)
-
-  if [[ -z $INSTALLED_PYTHON_VERSION ]]; then
-    echo -e " ↳ [${RED}✗${NC}] python3 not found on your system. You need python version satisfying $(echo $REQUIRED_PYTHON_VERSION | cut -d '=' -f2-) to continue!"
-    loge "ERROR_PYTHON_NOT_FOUND"
-    return 1
-  else
-    LB=$(echo $REQUIRED_PYTHON_VERSION | tr -d '",' | awk '{ split($4, v, "."); printf "%d%02d%02d", v[1], v[2], v[3] }')
-    UB=$(echo $REQUIRED_PYTHON_VERSION | tr -d '",' | awk '{ split($6, v, "."); printf "%d%02d%02d", v[1], v[2], v[3] }')
-    VERSION=$(echo $INSTALLED_PYTHON_VERSION | awk '{ split($2, v, "."); printf "%d%02d%02d", v[1], v[2], v[3] }')
-    if [[ $VERSION -ge LB && $VERSION -lt UB ]]; then
-      echo -e " ↳ [${GREEN}✔${NC}] $INSTALLED_PYTHON_VERSION detected."
-    else
-      echo -e " ↳ [${RED}✗${NC}] You need a python version satisfying $(echo $REQUIRED_PYTHON_VERSION | cut -d '=' -f2-) to continue!"
-      loge "ERROR_PYTHON_VERSION" "$INSTALLED_PYTHON_VERSION"
-      return 1
-    fi
-  fi
-}
-
 function op_check_venv() {
   echo "Checking for venv..."
   if [[ -f $OPENPILOT_ROOT/.venv/bin/activate ]]; then
@@ -214,8 +191,6 @@ function op_before_cmd() {
 
   op_activate_venv
 
-  result="${result}\n$(( op_check_python ) 2>&1)" || (echo -e "$result" && return 1)
-
   if [[ -z $VERBOSE ]]; then
     echo -e "${BOLD}Checking system →${NC} [${GREEN}✔${NC}]"
   else
@@ -436,7 +411,7 @@ function op_default() {
   echo ""
   echo -e "${BOLD}${UNDERLINE}Commands [System]:${NC}"
   echo -e "  ${BOLD}auth${NC}         Authenticate yourself for API use"
-  echo -e "  ${BOLD}check${NC}        Check the development environment (git, os, python) to start using openpilot"
+  echo -e "  ${BOLD}check${NC}        Check the development environment (git, os) to start using openpilot"
   echo -e "  ${BOLD}esim${NC}         Manage eSIM profiles on your comma device"
   echo -e "  ${BOLD}venv${NC}         Activate the python virtual environment"
   echo -e "  ${BOLD}setup${NC}        Install openpilot dependencies"
diff --git a/uv.lock b/uv.lock
index 743521fb2f..578b19f646 100644
--- a/uv.lock
+++ b/uv.lock
@@ -806,7 +806,6 @@ dependencies = [
     { name = "pycryptodome" },
     { name = "pyjwt" },
     { name = "pyserial" },
-    { name = "python3-dev" },
     { name = "pyzmq" },
     { name = "qrcode" },
     { name = "raylib" },
@@ -897,7 +896,6 @@ requires-dist = [
     { name = "pytest-mock", marker = "extra == 'testing'" },
     { name = "pytest-subtests", marker = "extra == 'testing'" },
     { name = "pytest-xdist", marker = "extra == 'testing'", git = "https://github.com/sshane/pytest-xdist?rev=2b4372bd62699fb412c4fe2f95bf9f01bd2018da" },
-    { name = "python3-dev", git = "https://github.com/commaai/dependencies.git?subdirectory=python3-dev&rev=releases" },
     { name = "pyzmq" },
     { name = "qrcode" },
     { name = "raylib", specifier = ">5.5.0.3" },
@@ -1286,11 +1284,6 @@ wheels = [
     { url = "https://files.pythonhosted.org/packages/ec/57/56b9bcc3c9c6a792fcbaf139543cee77261f3651ca9da0c93f5c1221264b/python_dateutil-2.9.0.post0-py2.py3-none-any.whl", hash = "sha256:a8b2bc7bffae282281c8140a97d3aa9c14da0b136dfe83f850eea9a5f7470427", size = 229892, upload-time = "2024-03-01T18:36:18.57Z" },
 ]
 
-[[package]]
-name = "python3-dev"
-version = "3.12.8"
-source = { git = "https://github.com/commaai/dependencies.git?subdirectory=python3-dev&rev=releases#9777ee38aa5ca9439843125392af38ed1262e500" }
-
 [[package]]
 name = "pyyaml"
 version = "6.0.3"