diff --git a/python/private/get_local_runtime_info.py b/python/private/get_local_runtime_info.py
index d176b1a7c6..7cf9607074 100644
--- a/python/private/get_local_runtime_info.py
+++ b/python/private/get_local_runtime_info.py
@@ -205,11 +205,12 @@ def _get_base_executable():
     # is missing.
     return sys.executable
 
-
 data = {
     "major": sys.version_info.major,
     "minor": sys.version_info.minor,
     "micro": sys.version_info.micro,
+    "releaselevel": sys.version_info.releaselevel,
+    "serial": sys.version_info.serial,
     "include": sysconfig.get_path("include"),
     "implementation_name": sys.implementation.name,
     "base_executable": _get_base_executable(),
diff --git a/python/private/local_runtime_repo.bzl b/python/private/local_runtime_repo.bzl
index 583926b15f..c8c66662f5 100644
--- a/python/private/local_runtime_repo.bzl
+++ b/python/private/local_runtime_repo.bzl
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 
 load(":enum.bzl", "enum")
 load(":repo_utils.bzl", "REPO_DEBUG_ENV_VAR", "repo_utils")
+load(":text_util.bzl", "render")
 
 # buildifier: disable=name-conventions
 _OnFailure = enum(
@@ -24,10 +25,18 @@ _OnFailure = enum(
     FAIL = "fail",
 )
 
-_TOOLCHAIN_IMPL_TEMPLATE = """\
+_BUILD_BAZEL_TEMPLATE = """\
 # Generated by python/private/local_runtime_repo.bzl
 
-load("@rules_python//python/private:local_runtime_repo_setup.bzl", "define_local_runtime_toolchain_impl")
+load(
+    "@rules_python//python/private:local_runtime_repo_setup.bzl",
+    "define_local_runtime_toolchain_impl",
+    "define_local_runtime_targets",
+)
+
+package(
+    default_visibility = ["//visibility:public"]
+)
 
 define_local_runtime_toolchain_impl(
     name = "local_runtime",
@@ -40,6 +49,18 @@ define_local_runtime_toolchain_impl(
     implementation_name = "{implementation_name}",
     os = "{os}",
 )
+
+define_local_runtime_targets()
+"""
+
+RUNTIME_INFO_BZL_TEMPLATE = """
+# Generated by python/private/local_runtime_repo.bzl
+
+load("@rules_python//python/private:local_runtime_repo_setup.bzl", "define_local_runtime_toolchain_impl")
+
+info = create_info_struct(
+{info}
+)
 """
 
 def _norm_path(path):
@@ -164,7 +185,7 @@ def _local_runtime_repo_impl(rctx):
     else:
         logger.warn("No external python libraries found.")
 
-    build_bazel = _TOOLCHAIN_IMPL_TEMPLATE.format(
+    build_bazel = _BUILD_BAZEL_TEMPLATE.format(
         major = info["major"],
         minor = info["minor"],
         micro = info["micro"],
@@ -181,6 +202,19 @@ def _local_runtime_repo_impl(rctx):
     rctx.file("REPO.bazel", "")
     rctx.file("BUILD.bazel", build_bazel)
 
+    # JSON format for repo-phase code
+    rctx.file("runtime_info.json", json.encode_indent(info))
+
+    # bzl format for loading-phase code
+    rctx.file("runtime_info.bzl", RUNTIME_INFO_BZL_TEMPLATE.format(
+        info = render.dict(info),
+    ))
+
+    # Text format for `python.toolchain.python_version_file`
+    # The name `python-version` is used to match pyenv and uv naming that looks
+    # for a `.python-version` file.
+    rctx.file("python-version", "{major}.{minor}".format(**info))
+
 local_runtime_repo = repository_rule(
     implementation = _local_runtime_repo_impl,
     doc = """
@@ -260,7 +294,7 @@ How to handle errors when trying to automatically determine settings.
 )
 
 def _expand_incompatible_template():
-    return _TOOLCHAIN_IMPL_TEMPLATE.format(
+    return _BUILD_BAZEL_TEMPLATE.format(
         interpreter_path = "/incompatible",
         implementation_name = "incompatible",
         interface_library = "None",
diff --git a/python/private/local_runtime_repo_setup.bzl b/python/private/local_runtime_repo_setup.bzl
index 6cff1aea43..013b37adfa 100644
--- a/python/private/local_runtime_repo_setup.bzl
+++ b/python/private/local_runtime_repo_setup.bzl
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 
 """Setup code called by the code generated by `local_runtime_repo`."""
 
+load("@bazel_skylib//:bzl_library.bzl", "bzl_library")
 load("@bazel_skylib//lib:selects.bzl", "selects")
 load("@rules_cc//cc:cc_import.bzl", "cc_import")
 load("@rules_cc//cc:cc_library.bzl", "cc_library")
@@ -167,3 +168,38 @@ def define_local_runtime_toolchain_impl(
         ],
         visibility = ["//visibility:public"],
     )
+
+def define_local_runtime_targets():
+    native.filegroup(
+        name = "python-version",
+        srcs = ["python-version"],
+    )
+    native.filegroup(
+        name = "runtime_info",
+        srcs = ["runtime_info.json"],
+    )
+    bzl_library(
+        name = "runtime_info_bzl",
+        srcs = ["runtime_info.bzl"],
+        deps = [
+            Label("//python/private:local_runtime_repo_setup.bzl"),
+        ],
+    )
+
+def create_info_struct(info):
+    self = struct(
+        _info = info,
+        get_info = lambda *a, **k: _info_get_info(self, *a, **k),
+        get_version_major_minor = lambda *a, **k: _info_get_version_major_minor(self, *a, **k),
+        get_version_full = lambda *a, **k: _info_get_version_full(self, *a, **k),
+    )
+    return self
+
+def _info_get_info(self):
+    return self._info
+
+def _info_get_version_major_minor(self):
+    return "{major}.{minor}".format(**self._info)
+
+def _info_get_version_full(self):
+    return "{major}.{minor}.{micro}".format(**self._info)
diff --git a/python/private/pypi/extension.bzl b/python/private/pypi/extension.bzl
index be1a8e4d03..3e4f2a220c 100644
--- a/python/private/pypi/extension.bzl
+++ b/python/private/pypi/extension.bzl
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
 
 load("@bazel_features//:features.bzl", "bazel_features")
 load("@pythons_hub//:interpreters.bzl", "INTERPRETER_LABELS")
-load("@pythons_hub//:versions.bzl", "MINOR_MAPPING")
+load("@pythons_hub//:versions.bzl", "DEFAULT_PYTHON_VERSION", "MINOR_MAPPING")
 load("@rules_python_internal//:rules_python_config.bzl", rp_config = "config")
 load("//python/private:auth.bzl", "AUTH_ATTRS")
 load("//python/private:normalize_name.bzl", "normalize_name")
@@ -80,7 +80,11 @@ def build_config(
             evaluation of the extension.
 
     Returns:
-        A struct with the configuration.
+        A struct with the configuration, attributes:
+        * `auth_patterns`: dict of authentication patterns
+        * `netrc`: netrc file or None
+        * `platforms`: dict[str, ??] of platform configs
+        * `enable_pipstar`: bool
     """
     defaults = {
         "platforms": {},
@@ -229,6 +233,7 @@ You cannot use both the additive_build_content and additive_build_content_file a
                     whl_overrides = whl_overrides,
                     simpleapi_download_fn = simpleapi_download,
                     simpleapi_cache = simpleapi_cache,
+                    default_python_version = DEFAULT_PYTHON_VERSION,
                     # TODO @aignas 2025-09-06: do not use kwargs
                     minor_mapping = kwargs.get("minor_mapping", MINOR_MAPPING),
                     evaluate_markers_fn = kwargs.get("evaluate_markers", None),
@@ -647,7 +652,7 @@ find in case extra indexes are specified.
             default = True,
         ),
         "python_version": attr.string(
-            mandatory = True,
+            ##mandatory = True,
             doc = """
 The Python version the dependencies are targetting, in Major.Minor format
 (e.g., "3.11") or patch level granularity (e.g. "3.11.1").
diff --git a/python/private/pypi/hub_builder.bzl b/python/private/pypi/hub_builder.bzl
index b6088e4ded..614ec17384 100644
--- a/python/private/pypi/hub_builder.bzl
+++ b/python/private/pypi/hub_builder.bzl
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ def hub_builder(
         module_name,
         config,
         whl_overrides,
+        default_python_version,
         minor_mapping,
         available_interpreters,
         simpleapi_download_fn,
@@ -69,8 +70,10 @@ def hub_builder(
         _get_index_urls = {},
         _use_downloader = {},
         _simpleapi_cache = simpleapi_cache,
+        _get_python_version = lambda *a, **k: _get_python_version(self, *a, **k),
         # instance constants
         _config = config,
+        _default_python_version = default_python_version,
         _whl_overrides = whl_overrides,
         _evaluate_markers_fn = evaluate_markers_fn,
         _logger = logger,
@@ -102,7 +105,7 @@ def _build(self):
     )
 
 def _pip_parse(self, module_ctx, pip_attr):
-    python_version = pip_attr.python_version
+    python_version = self._get_python_version(pip_attr)
     if python_version in self._platforms:
         fail((
             "Duplicate pip python version '{version}' for hub " +
@@ -230,7 +233,7 @@ def _set_get_index_urls(self, pip_attr):
         # here
         return
 
-    python_version = pip_attr.python_version
+    python_version = self._get_python_version(pip_attr)
     self._use_downloader.setdefault(python_version, {}).update({
         normalize_name(s): False
         for s in pip_attr.simpleapi_skip
@@ -259,7 +262,7 @@ def _detect_interpreter(self, pip_attr):
     python_interpreter_target = pip_attr.python_interpreter_target
     if python_interpreter_target == None and not pip_attr.python_interpreter:
         python_name = "python_{}_host".format(
-            pip_attr.python_version.replace(".", "_"),
+            self._get_python_version(pip_attr).replace(".", "_"),
         )
         if python_name not in self._available_interpreters:
             fail((
@@ -269,7 +272,7 @@ def _detect_interpreter(self, pip_attr):
                 "Expected to find {python_name} among registered versions:\n  {labels}"
             ).format(
                 hub_name = self.name,
-                version = pip_attr.python_version,
+                version = self._get_python_version(pip_attr),
                 python_name = python_name,
                 labels = "  \n".join(self._available_interpreters),
             ))
@@ -332,7 +335,7 @@ def _evaluate_markers(self, pip_attr):
     if self._config.enable_pipstar:
         return lambda _, requirements: evaluate_markers_star(
             requirements = requirements,
-            platforms = self._platforms[pip_attr.python_version],
+            platforms = self._platforms[self._get_python_version(pip_attr)],
         )
 
     interpreter = _detect_interpreter(self, pip_attr)
@@ -355,7 +358,7 @@ def _evaluate_markers(self, pip_attr):
         module_ctx,
         requirements = {
             k: {
-                p: self._platforms[pip_attr.python_version][p].triple
+                p: self._platforms[self._get_python_version(pip_attr)][p].triple
                 for p in plats
             }
             for k, plats in requirements.items()
@@ -379,7 +382,7 @@ def _create_whl_repos(
         pip_attr: {type}`struct` - the struct that comes from the tag class iteration.
     """
     logger = self._logger
-    platforms = self._platforms[pip_attr.python_version]
+    platforms = self._platforms[self._get_python_version(pip_attr)]
     requirements_by_platform = parse_requirements(
         module_ctx,
         requirements_by_platform = requirements_files_by_platform(
@@ -391,14 +394,14 @@ def _create_whl_repos(
             extra_pip_args = pip_attr.extra_pip_args,
             platforms = sorted(platforms),  # here we only need keys
             python_version = full_version(
-                version = pip_attr.python_version,
+                version = self._get_python_version(pip_attr),
                 minor_mapping = self._minor_mapping,
             ),
             logger = logger,
         ),
         platforms = platforms,
         extra_pip_args = pip_attr.extra_pip_args,
-        get_index_urls = self._get_index_urls.get(pip_attr.python_version),
+        get_index_urls = self._get_index_urls.get(self._get_python_version(pip_attr)),
         evaluate_markers = _evaluate_markers(self, pip_attr),
         logger = logger,
     )
@@ -431,15 +434,15 @@ def _create_whl_repos(
                 whl_library_args = whl_library_args,
                 download_only = pip_attr.download_only,
                 netrc = self._config.netrc or pip_attr.netrc,
-                use_downloader = _use_downloader(self, pip_attr.python_version, whl.name),
+                use_downloader = _use_downloader(self, self._get_python_version(pip_attr), whl.name),
                 auth_patterns = self._config.auth_patterns or pip_attr.auth_patterns,
-                python_version = _major_minor_version(pip_attr.python_version),
+                python_version = _major_minor_version(self._get_python_version(pip_attr)),
                 is_multiple_versions = whl.is_multiple_versions,
                 enable_pipstar = self._config.enable_pipstar,
             )
             _add_whl_library(
                 self,
-                python_version = pip_attr.python_version,
+                python_version = self._get_python_version(pip_attr),
                 whl = whl,
                 repo = repo,
             )
@@ -579,3 +582,10 @@ def _use_downloader(self, python_version, whl_name):
         normalize_name(whl_name),
         self._get_index_urls.get(python_version) != None,
     )
+
+def _get_python_version(self, pip_attr):
+    python_version = pip_attr.python_version
+    if python_version:
+        return python_version
+    else:
+        return self._default_python_version
diff --git a/tests/integration/local_toolchains/BUILD.bazel b/tests/integration/local_toolchains/BUILD.bazel
index bf47316027..dc766ba2bd 100644
--- a/tests/integration/local_toolchains/BUILD.bazel
+++ b/tests/integration/local_toolchains/BUILD.bazel
@@ -14,9 +14,14 @@
 
 load("@bazel_skylib//rules:common_settings.bzl", "string_flag")
 load("@rules_cc//cc:cc_library.bzl", "cc_library")
+load("@rules_python//python:py_binary.bzl", "py_binary")
 load("@rules_python//python:py_test.bzl", "py_test")
 load(":py_extension.bzl", "py_extension")
 
+package(
+    default_visibility = ["//:__subpackages__"],
+)
+
 py_test(
     name = "local_runtime_test",
     srcs = ["local_runtime_test.py"],
@@ -35,6 +40,14 @@ py_test(
     },
 )
 
+py_binary(
+    name = "bin",
+    srcs = ["bin.py"],
+    deps = [
+        "@pypi//more_itertools",
+    ],
+)
+
 config_setting(
     name = "is_py_local",
     flag_values = {
@@ -56,6 +69,11 @@ string_flag(
     build_setting_default = "",
 )
 
+filegroup(
+    name = "pyproject",
+    srcs = ["pyproject.toml"],
+)
+
 # Build rules to generate a python extension.
 cc_library(
     name = "echo_ext_cc",
diff --git a/tests/integration/local_toolchains/MODULE.bazel b/tests/integration/local_toolchains/MODULE.bazel
index 6c821c5bb0..13204b1f9c 100644
--- a/tests/integration/local_toolchains/MODULE.bazel
+++ b/tests/integration/local_toolchains/MODULE.bazel
@@ -96,3 +96,34 @@ use_repo(python, "rules_python_bzlmod_debug")
 
 # Step 3: Register the toolchains
 register_toolchains("@local_toolchains//:all")
+
+python = use_extension("@rules_python//python/extensions:python.bzl", "python")
+python.defaults(
+    python_version_file = "@local_python3//:python-version",
+)
+
+# todo: loosen toolchain checking. These lines are only necessary to satisfy
+# some python.toolchain logic that expects the default to be registered through
+# its apis. But this is problematic becaue the default changes based on the env
+python.toolchain(python_version = "3.13")
+python.toolchain(python_version = "3.12")
+python.toolchain(python_version = "3.11")
+use_repo(python, "rules_python_bzlmod_debug")
+
+register_toolchains("@local_toolchains//:all")
+
+pip = use_extension("@rules_python//python/extensions:pip.bzl", "pip")
+pip.parse(
+    hub_name = "pypi",
+    requirements_lock = "//requirements:requirements-local.txt",
+)
+use_repo(pip, "pypi")
+
+uv_dev = use_extension(
+    "@rules_python//python/uv:uv.bzl",
+    "uv",
+    dev_dependency = True,
+)
+uv_dev.configure(
+    version = "0.8.22",
+)
diff --git a/tests/integration/local_toolchains/bin.py b/tests/integration/local_toolchains/bin.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..1f55560377
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/integration/local_toolchains/bin.py
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+import sys
+
+print(f"""
+{sys.version=}
+{sys.executable=}
+""")
+
+import more_itertools
+print(f"{more_itertools.__file__=}")
diff --git a/tests/integration/local_toolchains/pyproject.toml b/tests/integration/local_toolchains/pyproject.toml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..9da9051a78
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/integration/local_toolchains/pyproject.toml
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+[project]
+name = "local_toolchains"
+version = "0.0.0"
+
+dependencies = [
+    # NOTE: This is only used as input to create the resolved requirements.txt
+    # file, which is what builds, both Bazel and Readthedocs, both use.
+    "more_itertools"
+]
+
diff --git a/tests/integration/local_toolchains/requirements/BUILD.bazel b/tests/integration/local_toolchains/requirements/BUILD.bazel
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..32f98db623
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/integration/local_toolchains/requirements/BUILD.bazel
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+load("@rules_python//python/uv:lock.bzl", "lock")
+
+lock(
+    name = "requirements",
+    srcs = ["//:pyproject"],
+    out = "requirements-local.txt",
+    args = [
+        "--emit-index-url",
+        "--universal",
+        "--upgrade",
+    ],
+)
diff --git a/tests/integration/local_toolchains/requirements/requirements-local.txt b/tests/integration/local_toolchains/requirements/requirements-local.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..12b418085c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/integration/local_toolchains/requirements/requirements-local.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+# This file was autogenerated by uv via the following command:
+#    bazel run //requirements:requirements.update
+--index-url https://pypi.org/simple
+
+more-itertools==10.8.0 \
+    --hash=sha256:52d4362373dcf7c52546bc4af9a86ee7c4579df9a8dc268be0a2f949d376cc9b \
+    --hash=sha256:f638ddf8a1a0d134181275fb5d58b086ead7c6a72429ad725c67503f13ba30bd
+    # via local-toolchains (pyproject.toml)