diff --git a/cibuildwheel/macos.py b/cibuildwheel/macos.py
index f830dbcc6..fcc88dac9 100644
--- a/cibuildwheel/macos.py
+++ b/cibuildwheel/macos.py
@@ -278,23 +278,23 @@ def setup_python(
     # Apply our environment after pip is ready
     env = environment.as_dictionary(prev_environment=env)
 
+    # check what Python version we're on
+    which_python = call("which", "python", env=env, capture_stdout=True).strip()
+    print(which_python)
+    if which_python != str(venv_bin_path / "python"):
+        msg = "cibuildwheel: python available on PATH doesn't match our installed instance. If you have modified PATH, ensure that you don't overwrite cibuildwheel's entry or insert python above it."
+        raise errors.FatalError(msg)
+    call("python", "--version", env=env)
+
     # check what pip version we're on
     if not use_uv:
         assert (venv_bin_path / "pip").exists()
-        call("which", "pip", env=env)
-        call("pip", "--version", env=env)
         which_pip = call("which", "pip", env=env, capture_stdout=True).strip()
+        print(which_pip)
         if which_pip != str(venv_bin_path / "pip"):
             msg = "cibuildwheel: pip available on PATH doesn't match our installed instance. If you have modified PATH, ensure that you don't overwrite cibuildwheel's entry or insert pip above it."
             raise errors.FatalError(msg)
-
-    # check what Python version we're on
-    call("which", "python", env=env)
-    call("python", "--version", env=env)
-    which_python = call("which", "python", env=env, capture_stdout=True).strip()
-    if which_python != str(venv_bin_path / "python"):
-        msg = "cibuildwheel: python available on PATH doesn't match our installed instance. If you have modified PATH, ensure that you don't overwrite cibuildwheel's entry or insert python above it."
-        raise errors.FatalError(msg)
+        call("pip", "--version", env=env)
 
     config_is_arm64 = python_configuration.identifier.endswith("arm64")
     config_is_universal2 = python_configuration.identifier.endswith("universal2")
diff --git a/cibuildwheel/pyodide.py b/cibuildwheel/pyodide.py
index 3b721a10a..147203cfd 100644
--- a/cibuildwheel/pyodide.py
+++ b/cibuildwheel/pyodide.py
@@ -136,22 +136,22 @@ def setup_python(
 
     env = environment.as_dictionary(prev_environment=env)
 
+    # check what Python version we're on
+    which_python = call("which", "python", env=env, capture_stdout=True).strip()
+    print(which_python)
+    if which_python != str(venv_bin_path / "python"):
+        msg = "python available on PATH doesn't match our venv instance. If you have modified PATH, ensure that you don't overwrite cibuildwheel's entry or insert python above it."
+        raise errors.FatalError(msg)
+    call("python", "--version", env=env)
+
     # check what pip version we're on
     assert (venv_bin_path / "pip").exists()
-    call("which", "pip", env=env)
-    call("pip", "--version", env=env)
     which_pip = call("which", "pip", env=env, capture_stdout=True).strip()
+    print(which_pip)
     if which_pip != str(venv_bin_path / "pip"):
         msg = "pip available on PATH doesn't match our venv instance. If you have modified PATH, ensure that you don't overwrite cibuildwheel's entry or insert pip above it."
         raise errors.FatalError(msg)
-
-    # check what Python version we're on
-    call("which", "python", env=env)
-    call("python", "--version", env=env)
-    which_python = call("which", "python", env=env, capture_stdout=True).strip()
-    if which_python != str(venv_bin_path / "python"):
-        msg = "python available on PATH doesn't match our venv instance. If you have modified PATH, ensure that you don't overwrite cibuildwheel's entry or insert python above it."
-        raise errors.FatalError(msg)
+    call("pip", "--version", env=env)
 
     log.step("Installing build tools...")
     call(
diff --git a/cibuildwheel/util.py b/cibuildwheel/util.py
index d456511be..3e68ea733 100644
--- a/cibuildwheel/util.py
+++ b/cibuildwheel/util.py
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@
 
 from ._compat import tomllib
 from .architecture import Architecture
+from .errors import FatalError
 from .typing import PathOrStr, PlatformName
 
 __all__ = [
@@ -139,13 +140,32 @@ def call(
     args_ = [str(arg) for arg in args]
     # print the command executing for the logs
     print("+ " + " ".join(shlex.quote(a) for a in args_))
-    kwargs: dict[str, Any] = {}
-    if capture_stdout:
-        kwargs["universal_newlines"] = True
-        kwargs["stdout"] = subprocess.PIPE
-    result = subprocess.run(args_, check=True, shell=IS_WIN, env=env, cwd=cwd, **kwargs)
+    # workaround platform behaviour differences outlined
+    # in https://github.com/python/cpython/issues/52803
+    path_env = env if env is not None else os.environ
+    path = path_env.get("PATH", None)
+    executable = shutil.which(args_[0], path=path)
+    if executable is None:
+        msg = f"Couldn't find {args_[0]!r} in PATH {path!r}"
+        raise FatalError(msg)
+    args_[0] = executable
+    try:
+        result = subprocess.run(
+            args_,
+            check=True,
+            shell=IS_WIN,
+            env=env,
+            cwd=cwd,
+            capture_output=capture_stdout,
+            text=capture_stdout,
+        )
+    except subprocess.CalledProcessError as e:
+        if capture_stdout:
+            sys.stderr.write(e.stderr)
+        raise
     if not capture_stdout:
         return None
+    sys.stderr.write(result.stderr)
     return typing.cast(str, result.stdout)
 
 
diff --git a/cibuildwheel/windows.py b/cibuildwheel/windows.py
index 449be8109..8f5633d67 100644
--- a/cibuildwheel/windows.py
+++ b/cibuildwheel/windows.py
@@ -302,22 +302,22 @@ def setup_python(
     env = environment.as_dictionary(prev_environment=env)
 
     # check what Python version we're on
-    call("where", "python", env=env)
-    call("python", "--version", env=env)
-    call("python", "-c", "\"import struct; print(struct.calcsize('P') * 8)\"", env=env)
     where_python = call("where", "python", env=env, capture_stdout=True).splitlines()[0].strip()
+    print(where_python)
     if where_python != str(venv_path / "Scripts" / "python.exe"):
         msg = "python available on PATH doesn't match our installed instance. If you have modified PATH, ensure that you don't overwrite cibuildwheel's entry or insert python above it."
         raise errors.FatalError(msg)
+    call("python", "--version", env=env)
+    call("python", "-c", "\"import struct; print(struct.calcsize('P') * 8)\"", env=env)
 
     # check what pip version we're on
     if not use_uv:
         assert (venv_path / "Scripts" / "pip.exe").exists()
         where_pip = call("where", "pip", env=env, capture_stdout=True).splitlines()[0].strip()
+        print(where_pip)
         if where_pip.strip() != str(venv_path / "Scripts" / "pip.exe"):
             msg = "pip available on PATH doesn't match our installed instance. If you have modified PATH, ensure that you don't overwrite cibuildwheel's entry or insert pip above it."
             raise errors.FatalError(msg)
-
         call("pip", "--version", env=env)
 
     log.step("Installing build tools...")