diff --git a/numpy/f2py/_backends/_meson.py b/numpy/f2py/_backends/_meson.py
index 7956fc64b671..7cf08446e863 100644
--- a/numpy/f2py/_backends/_meson.py
+++ b/numpy/f2py/_backends/_meson.py
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 import errno
 import shutil
 import subprocess
+import sys
 from pathlib import Path
 
 from ._backend import Backend
@@ -27,6 +28,7 @@ def __init__(
         linker_args: list[str],
         c_args: list[str],
         build_type: str,
+        python_exe: str,
     ):
         self.modulename = modulename
         self.build_template_path = (
@@ -59,6 +61,7 @@ def meson_build_template(self) -> str:
     def initialize_template(self) -> None:
         self.substitutions["modulename"] = self.modulename
         self.substitutions["buildtype"] = self.build_type
+        self.substitutions["python"] = self.python_exe
 
     def sources_substitution(self) -> None:
         indent = " " * 21
@@ -138,6 +141,7 @@ def write_meson_build(self, build_dir: Path) -> None:
             self.flib_flags,
             self.fc_flags,
             self.build_type,
+            sys.executable,
         )
         src = meson_template.generate_meson_build()
         Path(build_dir).mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
diff --git a/numpy/f2py/_backends/meson.build.template b/numpy/f2py/_backends/meson.build.template
index 65e3ecb19c30..52e34634493a 100644
--- a/numpy/f2py/_backends/meson.build.template
+++ b/numpy/f2py/_backends/meson.build.template
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ project('${modulename}',
                           ])
 fc = meson.get_compiler('fortran')
 
-py = import('python').find_installation(pure: false)
+py = import('python').find_installation('${python}', pure: false)
 py_dep = py.dependency()
 
 incdir_numpy = run_command(py,