diff --git a/python/private/BUILD.bazel b/python/private/BUILD.bazel
index efc1dd7319..ac97ef9b50 100644
--- a/python/private/BUILD.bazel
+++ b/python/private/BUILD.bazel
@@ -454,7 +454,7 @@ bzl_library(
 bzl_library(
     name = "py_internal_bzl",
     srcs = ["py_internal.bzl"],
-    deps = ["@rules_python_internal//:py_internal_bzl"],
+    deps = ["//tools/build_defs/python/private:py_internal_renamed_bzl"],
 )
 
 bzl_library(
diff --git a/python/private/internal_config_repo.bzl b/python/private/internal_config_repo.bzl
index 7c59355c95..5b28d69ac9 100644
--- a/python/private/internal_config_repo.bzl
+++ b/python/private/internal_config_repo.bzl
@@ -42,13 +42,6 @@ config = struct(
 )
 """
 
-# The py_internal symbol is only accessible from within @rules_python, so we have to
-# load it from there and re-export it so that rules_python can later load it.
-_PY_INTERNAL_SHIM = """
-load("@rules_python//tools/build_defs/python/private:py_internal_renamed.bzl", "py_internal_renamed")
-py_internal_impl = py_internal_renamed
-"""
-
 ROOT_BUILD_TEMPLATE = """
 load("@bazel_skylib//:bzl_library.bzl", "bzl_library")
 
@@ -63,12 +56,6 @@ bzl_library(
     srcs = ["rules_python_config.bzl"]
 )
 
-bzl_library(
-    name = "py_internal_bzl",
-    srcs = ["py_internal.bzl"],
-    deps = [{py_internal_dep}],
-)
-
 bzl_library(
     name = "extra_transition_settings_bzl",
     srcs = ["extra_transition_settings.bzl"],
@@ -128,14 +115,9 @@ def _internal_config_repo_impl(rctx):
         bazel_10_or_later = str(bazel_major_version > 9),
     ))
 
-    shim_content = _PY_INTERNAL_SHIM
-    py_internal_dep = '"@rules_python//tools/build_defs/python/private:py_internal_renamed_bzl"'
-
     rctx.file("BUILD", ROOT_BUILD_TEMPLATE.format(
-        py_internal_dep = py_internal_dep,
         visibility = "@rules_python//:__subpackages__",
     ))
-    rctx.file("py_internal.bzl", shim_content)
 
     rctx.file(
         "extra_transition_settings.bzl",
diff --git a/python/private/py_internal.bzl b/python/private/py_internal.bzl
index 429637253f..000501d26c 100644
--- a/python/private/py_internal.bzl
+++ b/python/private/py_internal.bzl
@@ -18,9 +18,10 @@ Re-exports the restricted-use py_internal helper under its original name.
 These may change at any time and are closely coupled to the rule implementation.
 """
 
-# The py_internal global is only available in Bazel 7+, so loading of it
-# must go through a repo rule with Bazel version detection logic.
-load("@rules_python_internal//:py_internal.bzl", "py_internal_impl")
+# The native `py_internal` object is only visible to Starlark files under
+# `tools/build_defs/python`. To access it from `//python/private`, we use an
+# indirection through `//tools/build_defs/python/private/py_internal_renamed.bzl`,
+# which re-exports it under a different name.
+load("//tools/build_defs/python/private:py_internal_renamed.bzl", "py_internal_renamed")  # buildifier: disable=bzl-visibility
 
-# NOTE: This is None prior to Bazel 7, as set by @rules_python_internal
-py_internal = py_internal_impl
+py_internal = py_internal_renamed
diff --git a/tools/build_defs/python/private/BUILD.bazel b/tools/build_defs/python/private/BUILD.bazel
index 0a7f308f02..746545640d 100644
--- a/tools/build_defs/python/private/BUILD.bazel
+++ b/tools/build_defs/python/private/BUILD.bazel
@@ -23,5 +23,5 @@ filegroup(
 bzl_library(
     name = "py_internal_renamed_bzl",
     srcs = ["py_internal_renamed.bzl"],
-    visibility = ["@rules_python_internal//:__subpackages__"],
+    visibility = ["//python/private:__pkg__"],
 )