diff --git a/WORKSPACE b/WORKSPACE
index 76d63c7ddcf..2181c56a134 100644
--- a/WORKSPACE
+++ b/WORKSPACE
@@ -80,6 +80,10 @@ load("//bazel:pl_workspace.bzl", "pl_container_images", "pl_model_files", "pl_wo
 
 pl_workspace_setup()
 
+load("@rules_python//python:repositories.bzl", "py_repositories", "python_register_toolchains")
+
+py_repositories()
+
 # The pip_deps rule cannot be loaded until we load all the basic packages in the Pixie
 # workspace. Also, bazel requires that loads are done at the top level (not in a function), so
 # we need to pull it out over here.
@@ -136,10 +140,12 @@ tf_workspace0()
 
 pl_model_files()
 
-load("@rules_python//python:repositories.bzl", "python_register_toolchains")
-
 python_register_toolchains(
     name = "python3_10",
+    # Allow the root user to build the code base since this is a current requirement for
+    # building in a containerized environment. See https://github.com/bazelbuild/rules_python/pull/713
+    # for more details.
+    ignore_root_user_error = True,
     # Available versions are listed in @rules_python//python:versions.bzl.
     # We recommend using the same version your team is already standardized on.
     python_version = "3.10",
@@ -160,6 +166,7 @@ vizier_api_install_deps()
 
 pip_parse(
     name = "pxapi_python_doc_deps",
+    python_interpreter_target = interpreter,
     requirements_lock = "//src/api/python/doc:requirements.bazel.txt",
 )
 
@@ -250,6 +257,7 @@ go_download_sdk(
 
 pip_parse(
     name = "amqp_gen_reqs",
+    python_interpreter_target = interpreter,
     requirements_lock = "//src/stirling/source_connectors/socket_tracer/protocols/amqp/amqp_code_generator:requirements.bazel.txt",
 )
 
@@ -259,6 +267,7 @@ amp_gen_install_deps()
 
 pip_parse(
     name = "protocol_inference",
+    python_interpreter_target = interpreter,
     requirements_lock = "//src/stirling/protocol_inference:requirements.bazel.txt",
 )
 
@@ -275,6 +284,7 @@ py_image_repos()
 
 pip_parse(
     name = "amqp_bpf_test_requirements",
+    python_interpreter_target = interpreter,
     requirements_lock = "//src/stirling/source_connectors/socket_tracer/testing/containers/amqp:requirements.bazel.txt",
 )
 
@@ -300,6 +310,7 @@ px_deps_pinned_maven_install()
 
 pip_parse(
     name = "mongodb_bpf_test_requirements",
+    python_interpreter_target = interpreter,
     requirements_lock = "//src/stirling/source_connectors/socket_tracer/testing/containers/mongodb:requirements.bazel.txt",
 )
 
diff --git a/bazel/repository_locations.bzl b/bazel/repository_locations.bzl
index 519c8ec430d..f093fe2df53 100644
--- a/bazel/repository_locations.bzl
+++ b/bazel/repository_locations.bzl
@@ -457,9 +457,9 @@ REPOSITORY_LOCATIONS = dict(
         urls = ["https://github.com/bazelbuild/rules_foreign_cc/archive/refs/tags/0.8.0.tar.gz"],
     ),
     rules_python = dict(
-        sha256 = "cdf6b84084aad8f10bf20b46b77cb48d83c319ebe6458a18e9d2cebf57807cdd",
-        strip_prefix = "rules_python-0.8.1",
-        urls = ["https://github.com/bazelbuild/rules_python/archive/refs/tags/0.8.1.tar.gz"],
+        sha256 = "9d04041ac92a0985e344235f5d946f71ac543f1b1565f2cdbc9a2aaee8adf55b",
+        strip_prefix = "rules_python-0.26.0",
+        urls = ["https://github.com/bazelbuild/rules_python/archive/refs/tags/0.26.0.tar.gz"],
     ),
     rules_jvm_external = dict(
         urls = ["https://github.com/bazelbuild/rules_jvm_external/archive/refs/tags/5.2.tar.gz"],