diff --git a/py/tests/py_venv_image_layer/my_app_amd64_layers_listing.yaml b/py/tests/py_venv_image_layer/my_app_amd64_layers_listing.yaml
index 3df584ed..8875d07a 100644
--- a/py/tests/py_venv_image_layer/my_app_amd64_layers_listing.yaml
+++ b/py/tests/py_venv_image_layer/my_app_amd64_layers_listing.yaml
@@ -2513,7 +2513,7 @@ files:
   - drwxr-xr-x  0 0      0           0 Jan  1  2023 ./py/tests/py_venv_image_layer/my_app_bin.runfiles/_main/py/tests/py_venv_image_layer/
   - drwxr-xr-x  0 0      0           0 Jan  1  2023 ./py/tests/py_venv_image_layer/my_app_bin.runfiles/_main/py/tests/py_venv_image_layer/.my_app_bin/
   - drwxr-xr-x  0 0      0           0 Jan  1  2023 ./py/tests/py_venv_image_layer/my_app_bin.runfiles/_main/py/tests/py_venv_image_layer/.my_app_bin/bin/
-  - -rwxr-xr-x  0 0      0        2801 Jan  1  2023 ./py/tests/py_venv_image_layer/my_app_bin.runfiles/_main/py/tests/py_venv_image_layer/.my_app_bin/bin/activate
+  - -rwxr-xr-x  0 0      0        2503 Jan  1  2023 ./py/tests/py_venv_image_layer/my_app_bin.runfiles/_main/py/tests/py_venv_image_layer/.my_app_bin/bin/activate
   - -rwxr-xr-x  0 0      0      734360 Jan  1  2023 ./py/tests/py_venv_image_layer/my_app_bin.runfiles/_main/py/tests/py_venv_image_layer/.my_app_bin/bin/python
   - -rwxr-xr-x  0 0      0      734360 Jan  1  2023 ./py/tests/py_venv_image_layer/my_app_bin.runfiles/_main/py/tests/py_venv_image_layer/.my_app_bin/bin/python3
   - -rwxr-xr-x  0 0      0      734360 Jan  1  2023 ./py/tests/py_venv_image_layer/my_app_bin.runfiles/_main/py/tests/py_venv_image_layer/.my_app_bin/bin/python3.9
diff --git a/py/tests/py_venv_image_layer/my_app_arm64_layers_listing.yaml b/py/tests/py_venv_image_layer/my_app_arm64_layers_listing.yaml
index 57b20530..e4c1799b 100644
--- a/py/tests/py_venv_image_layer/my_app_arm64_layers_listing.yaml
+++ b/py/tests/py_venv_image_layer/my_app_arm64_layers_listing.yaml
@@ -2494,7 +2494,7 @@ files:
   - drwxr-xr-x  0 0      0           0 Jan  1  2023 ./py/tests/py_venv_image_layer/my_app_bin.runfiles/_main/py/tests/py_venv_image_layer/
   - drwxr-xr-x  0 0      0           0 Jan  1  2023 ./py/tests/py_venv_image_layer/my_app_bin.runfiles/_main/py/tests/py_venv_image_layer/.my_app_bin/
   - drwxr-xr-x  0 0      0           0 Jan  1  2023 ./py/tests/py_venv_image_layer/my_app_bin.runfiles/_main/py/tests/py_venv_image_layer/.my_app_bin/bin/
-  - -rwxr-xr-x  0 0      0        2801 Jan  1  2023 ./py/tests/py_venv_image_layer/my_app_bin.runfiles/_main/py/tests/py_venv_image_layer/.my_app_bin/bin/activate
+  - -rwxr-xr-x  0 0      0        2503 Jan  1  2023 ./py/tests/py_venv_image_layer/my_app_bin.runfiles/_main/py/tests/py_venv_image_layer/.my_app_bin/bin/activate
   - -rwxr-xr-x  0 0      0      701472 Jan  1  2023 ./py/tests/py_venv_image_layer/my_app_bin.runfiles/_main/py/tests/py_venv_image_layer/.my_app_bin/bin/python
   - -rwxr-xr-x  0 0      0      701472 Jan  1  2023 ./py/tests/py_venv_image_layer/my_app_bin.runfiles/_main/py/tests/py_venv_image_layer/.my_app_bin/bin/python3
   - -rwxr-xr-x  0 0      0      701472 Jan  1  2023 ./py/tests/py_venv_image_layer/my_app_bin.runfiles/_main/py/tests/py_venv_image_layer/.my_app_bin/bin/python3.9
diff --git a/py/tools/py/src/activate.tmpl b/py/tools/py/src/activate.tmpl
index 35165f53..d79fd443 100644
--- a/py/tools/py/src/activate.tmpl
+++ b/py/tools/py/src/activate.tmpl
@@ -57,12 +57,6 @@ deactivate nondestructive
 VIRTUAL_ENV="$(dirname "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE}")")"
 export VIRTUAL_ENV
 
-# HACK: (Ab)use the MacOS $PYTHONEXECUTABLE to record the `.runfiles`-relative
-# interpreter path. This helps us avoid issues with the interpreter's path being
-# `realpath`-ed in such a way that it escapes the `.runfiles` tree.
-PYTHONEXECUTABLE="${VIRTUAL_ENV}/bin/python"
-export PYTHONEXECUTABLE
-
 # unset PYTHONHOME if set
 # this will fail if PYTHONHOME is set to the empty string (which is bad anyway)
 # could use `if (set -u; : $PYTHONHOME) ;` in bash.