diff --git a/etc/build.props b/etc/build.props
--- a/etc/build.props
+++ b/etc/build.props
@@ -1,16 +1,17 @@
 title = AFP/Tools
 module = $AFP_BASE/tools/lib/classes/afp_tools.jar
 requirements = \
   env:ISABELLE_SCALA_JAR
 sources = \
   tools/admin/afp_build_hugo.scala \
   tools/admin/afp_build_python.scala \
   tools/migration/afp_migrate_metadata.scala \
   tools/afp_build_site.scala \
   tools/afp_check_roots.scala \
   tools/afp_dependencies.scala \
   tools/afp_tool.scala \
   tools/metadata.scala \
+  tools/python.scala \
   tools/toml.scala \
   tools/utils.scala
 services = afp.Tools
diff --git a/tools/python.scala b/tools/python.scala
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/python.scala
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+package afp
+
+
+import isabelle._
+
+
+object Python
+{
+  val python_home = Isabelle_System.getenv("ISABELLE_PYTHON")
+
+  val python_path = (Path.explode("$AFP_BASE") + Path.make(List("admin", "sitegen-lib"))).absolute
+
+  def run(command: String): Process_Result =
+  {
+    val exec =
+      Path.explode(proper_string(python_home).getOrElse("No python component found")) +
+      Path.make(List("bin", "python3"))
+    Isabelle_System.bash(exec.implode + " -c '" + command + "'",
+      env = Isabelle_System.settings(List("PYTHONPATH" -> python_path.implode)))
+  }
+}