diff --git a/run_project_tests.py b/run_project_tests.py
index c36825339..793c844e7 100755
--- a/run_project_tests.py
+++ b/run_project_tests.py
@@ -361,11 +361,10 @@ def _run_ci_include(args: T.List[str]) -> str:
     if not args:
         return 'At least one parameter required'
     try:
-        file_path = Path(args[0])
-        data = file_path.open(errors='ignore', encoding='utf-8').read()
+        data = Path(args[0]).read_text(errors='ignore', encoding='utf-8')
         return 'Included file {}:\n{}\n'.format(args[0], data)
     except Exception:
-        return 'Failed to open {} ({})'.format(args[0])
+        return 'Failed to open {}'.format(args[0])
 
 ci_commands = {
     'ci_include': _run_ci_include
@@ -939,7 +938,7 @@ def detect_tests_to_run(only: T.List[str], use_tmp: bool) -> T.List[T.Tuple[str,
         # CUDA tests on Windows: use Ninja backend:  python run_project_tests.py --only cuda --backend ninja
         TestCategory('cuda', 'cuda', backend not in (Backend.ninja, Backend.xcode) or not shutil.which('nvcc')),
         TestCategory('python3', 'python3', backend is not Backend.ninja),
-        TestCategory('python', 'python', backend is not Backend.ninja),
+        TestCategory('python', 'python'),
         TestCategory('fpga', 'fpga', shutil.which('yosys') is None),
         TestCategory('frameworks', 'frameworks'),
         TestCategory('nasm', 'nasm'),
diff --git a/test cases/python/1 basic/meson.build b/test cases/python/1 basic/meson.build
index 9c3af10c6..bd9a65c81 100644
--- a/test cases/python/1 basic/meson.build	
+++ b/test cases/python/1 basic/meson.build	
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-project('python sample', 'c')
+project('python sample')
 
 py_mod = import('python')
 py = py_mod.find_installation('python3')
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ py_purelib = py.get_path('purelib')
 if not py_purelib.endswith('site-packages')
   error('Python3 purelib path seems invalid? ' + py_purelib)
 endif
+message('Python purelib path:', py_purelib)
 
 # could be 'lib64' or 'Lib' on some systems
 py_platlib = py.get_path('platlib')
diff --git a/test cases/python/1 basic/prog.py b/test cases/python/1 basic/prog.py
index 9d95aea27..720fdb18b 100755
--- a/test cases/python/1 basic/prog.py	
+++ b/test cases/python/1 basic/prog.py	
@@ -1,9 +1,8 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env python3
 
 from gluon import gluonator
-import sys
 
 print('Running mainprog from root dir.')
 
 if gluonator.gluoninate() != 42:
-    sys.exit(1)
+    raise ValueError("!= 42")
diff --git a/test cases/python/1 basic/subdir/subprog.py b/test cases/python/1 basic/subdir/subprog.py
index 08652f084..54178e5f4 100755
--- a/test cases/python/1 basic/subdir/subprog.py	
+++ b/test cases/python/1 basic/subdir/subprog.py	
@@ -4,9 +4,8 @@
 # point to source root.
 
 from gluon import gluonator
-import sys
 
 print('Running mainprog from subdir.')
 
 if gluonator.gluoninate() != 42:
-    sys.exit(1)
+    raise ValueError("!= 42")
diff --git a/test cases/python/2 extmodule/blaster.py b/test cases/python/2 extmodule/blaster.py
index 7e1eae63a..1f0187645 100755
--- a/test cases/python/2 extmodule/blaster.py	
+++ b/test cases/python/2 extmodule/blaster.py	
@@ -1,14 +1,11 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env python3
 
 import tachyon
-import sys
 
 result = tachyon.phaserize('shoot')
 
 if not isinstance(result, int):
-    print('Returned result not an integer.')
-    sys.exit(1)
+    raise SystemExit('Returned result not an integer.')
 
 if result != 1:
-    print('Returned result {} is not 1.'.format(result))
-    sys.exit(1)
+    raise SystemExit('Returned result {} is not 1.'.format(result))
diff --git a/test cases/python/2 extmodule/meson.build b/test cases/python/2 extmodule/meson.build
index b4eb96039..18d70c895 100644
--- a/test cases/python/2 extmodule/meson.build	
+++ b/test cases/python/2 extmodule/meson.build	
@@ -3,26 +3,33 @@ project('Python extension module', 'c',
 # Because Windows Python ships only with optimized libs,
 # we must build this project the same way.
 
+if meson.backend() != 'ninja'
+  error('MESON_SKIP_TEST: Ninja backend required')
+endif
+
+
 py_mod = import('python')
 py = py_mod.find_installation()
-py_dep = py.dependency()
+py_dep = py.dependency(required: false)
 
-if py_dep.found()
-  subdir('ext')
+if not py_dep.found()
+  error('MESON_SKIP_TEST: Python libraries not found.')
+endif
 
-  test('extmod',
-    py,
-    args : files('blaster.py'),
-    env : ['PYTHONPATH=' + pypathdir])
+subdir('ext')
 
-  # Check we can apply a version constraint
-  dependency('python3', version: '>=@0@'.format(py_dep.version()))
+test('extmod',
+  py,
+  args : files('blaster.py'),
+  env : ['PYTHONPATH=' + pypathdir])
 
-else
-  error('MESON_SKIP_TEST: Python3 libraries not found, skipping test.')
-endif
 
 py3_pkg_dep = dependency('python3', method: 'pkg-config', required : false)
 if py3_pkg_dep.found()
   python_lib_dir = py3_pkg_dep.get_pkgconfig_variable('libdir')
+
+  # Check we can apply a version constraint
+  dependency('python3', version: '>=@0@'.format(py_dep.version()))
+else
+  message('Skipped python3 pkg-config test')
 endif
diff --git a/test cases/python/3 cython/cytest.py b/test cases/python/3 cython/cytest.py
index 43443dc66..c08ffeed3 100755
--- a/test cases/python/3 cython/cytest.py	
+++ b/test cases/python/3 cython/cytest.py	
@@ -1,23 +1,19 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env python3
 
 from storer import Storer
-import sys
 
 s = Storer()
 
 if s.get_value() != 0:
-    print('Initial value incorrect.')
-    sys.exit(1)
+    raise SystemExit('Initial value incorrect.')
 
 s.set_value(42)
 
 if s.get_value() != 42:
-    print('Setting value failed.')
-    sys.exit(1)
+    raise SystemExit('Setting value failed.')
 
 try:
     s.set_value('not a number')
-    print('Using wrong argument type did not fail.')
-    sys.exit(1)
+    raise SystemExit('Using wrong argument type did not fail.')
 except TypeError:
     pass
diff --git a/test cases/python/3 cython/meson.build b/test cases/python/3 cython/meson.build
index 194920bd8..5fc07a882 100644
--- a/test cases/python/3 cython/meson.build	
+++ b/test cases/python/3 cython/meson.build	
@@ -1,20 +1,26 @@
 project('cython', 'c',
   default_options : ['warning_level=3'])
 
-cython = find_program('cython3', required : false)
-py3_dep = dependency('python3', required : false)
+if meson.backend() != 'ninja'
+  error('MESON_SKIP_TEST: Ninja backend required')
+endif
 
-if cython.found() and py3_dep.found()
-  py_mod = import('python')
-  py3 = py_mod.find_installation()
-  py3_dep = py3.dependency()
-  subdir('libdir')
+cython = find_program('cython', required : false)
+if not cython.found()
+  error('MESON_SKIP_TEST: Cython3 not found.')
+endif
 
-  test('cython tester',
-    py3,
-    args : files('cytest.py'),
-    env : ['PYTHONPATH=' + pydir]
-  )
-else
-  error('MESON_SKIP_TEST: Cython3 or Python3 libraries not found, skipping test.')
+py_mod = import('python')
+py3 = py_mod.find_installation()
+py3_dep = py3.dependency(required: false)
+if not py3_dep.found()
+  error('MESON_SKIP_TEST: Python library not found.')
 endif
+
+subdir('libdir')
+
+test('cython tester',
+  py3,
+  args : files('cytest.py'),
+  env : ['PYTHONPATH=' + pydir]
+)
diff --git a/test cases/python/4 custom target depends extmodule/blaster.py b/test cases/python/4 custom target depends extmodule/blaster.py
index 6106f6ba0..09039cbc9 100644
--- a/test cases/python/4 custom target depends extmodule/blaster.py	
+++ b/test cases/python/4 custom target depends extmodule/blaster.py	
@@ -24,9 +24,7 @@ if options.output:
         f.write('success')
 
 if not isinstance(result, int):
-    print('Returned result not an integer.')
-    sys.exit(1)
+    raise SystemExit('Returned result not an integer.')
 
 if result != 1:
-    print('Returned result {} is not 1.'.format(result))
-    sys.exit(1)
+    raise SystemExit('Returned result {} is not 1.'.format(result))
diff --git a/test cases/python/4 custom target depends extmodule/meson.build b/test cases/python/4 custom target depends extmodule/meson.build
index 38353772c..d8a62ed25 100644
--- a/test cases/python/4 custom target depends extmodule/meson.build	
+++ b/test cases/python/4 custom target depends extmodule/meson.build	
@@ -3,11 +3,19 @@ project('Python extension module', 'c',
 # Because Windows Python ships only with optimized libs,
 # we must build this project the same way.
 
+if meson.backend() != 'ninja'
+  error('MESON_SKIP_TEST: Ninja backend required')
+endif
+
 py_mod = import('python')
 py3 = py_mod.find_installation()
 py3_dep = py3.dependency(required : false)
 cc = meson.get_compiler('c')
 
+if not py3_dep.found()
+  error('MESON_SKIP_TEST: Python3 libraries not found, skipping test.')
+endif
+
 # Copy to the builddir so that blaster.py can find the built tachyon module
 # FIXME: We should automatically detect this case and append the correct paths
 # to PYTHONLIBDIR
@@ -20,21 +28,18 @@ import os, sys
 with open(sys.argv[1], 'rb') as f:
   assert(f.read() == b'success')
 '''
-if py3_dep.found()
-  message('Detected Python version: ' + py3_dep.version())
-  if py3_dep.version().version_compare('>=3.8') and cc.get_id() == 'msvc' and cc.version().version_compare('<=19.00.24215.1')
-    error('MESON_SKIP_TEST: Python modules do not work with Python 3.8 and VS2015 or earlier.')
-  endif
-  subdir('ext')
-
-  out_txt = custom_target('tachyon flux',
-    input : blaster_py,
-    output : 'out.txt',
-    command : [py3, '@INPUT@', '-o', '@OUTPUT@'],
-    depends : pylib,
-    build_by_default: true)
-
-  test('flux', py3, args : ['-c', check_exists, out_txt])
-else
-  error('MESON_SKIP_TEST: Python3 libraries not found, skipping test.')
+
+message('Detected Python version: ' + py3_dep.version())
+if py3_dep.version().version_compare('>=3.8') and cc.get_id() == 'msvc' and cc.version().version_compare('<=19.00.24215.1')
+  error('MESON_SKIP_TEST: Python modules do not work with Python 3.8 and VS2015 or earlier.')
 endif
+subdir('ext')
+
+out_txt = custom_target('tachyon flux',
+  input : blaster_py,
+  output : 'out.txt',
+  command : [py3, '@INPUT@', '-o', '@OUTPUT@'],
+  depends : pylib,
+  build_by_default: true)
+
+test('flux', py3, args : ['-c', check_exists, out_txt])
diff --git a/test cases/python/5 modules kwarg/meson.build b/test cases/python/5 modules kwarg/meson.build
index 3c9d54fc9..9751adaab 100644
--- a/test cases/python/5 modules kwarg/meson.build	
+++ b/test cases/python/5 modules kwarg/meson.build	
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 project('python kwarg')
 
 py = import('python')
-prog_python = py.find_installation('python3', modules : ['setuptools'])
+prog_python = py.find_installation('python3', modules : ['distutils'])
 assert(prog_python.found() == true, 'python not found when should be')
 prog_python = py.find_installation('python3', modules : ['thisbetternotexistmod'], required : false)
 assert(prog_python.found() == false, 'python not found but reported as found')