diff --git a/.github/workflows/wheels/cibw_before_build.sh b/.github/workflows/wheels/cibw_before_build.sh
index 4e81688d0..1ce96b291 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/wheels/cibw_before_build.sh
+++ b/.github/workflows/wheels/cibw_before_build.sh
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 set -e
 set -x
 
-# Don't use objects from previous compiles on Windows/macOS
-make clean
+# Don't use Python objects from previous compiles
+make clean-py
 
 # DEBUG: show python3 and python3-config outputs
 if [ "$(uname)" != "Linux" ]; then
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 09d5f055d..22aeee5e8 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -346,14 +346,18 @@ endif
 
 PY_WRAPPER_FILE = pyosys/wrappers
 
+# running make clean on just those and then recompiling saves a lot of
+# time when running cibuildwheel
+PYTHON_OBJECTS = pyosys/wrappers.o kernel/drivers.o kernel/yosys.o passes/cmds/plugin.o
+
 ifeq ($(ENABLE_PYOSYS),1)
 # python-config --ldflags includes -l and -L, but LINKFLAGS is only -L
 LINKFLAGS += $(filter-out -l%,$(shell $(PYTHON_CONFIG) --ldflags))
 LIBS += $(shell $(PYTHON_CONFIG) --libs)
 EXE_LIBS += $(filter-out $(LIBS),$(shell $(PYTHON_CONFIG_FOR_EXE) --libs))
 PYBIND11_INCLUDE ?= $(shell $(PYTHON_EXECUTABLE) -m pybind11 --includes)
-CXXFLAGS += -I$(PYBIND11_INCLUDE) -DWITH_PYTHON
-CXXFLAGS += $(shell $(PYTHON_CONFIG) --includes) -DWITH_PYTHON
+CXXFLAGS += -I$(PYBIND11_INCLUDE) -DYOSYS_ENABLE_PYTHON
+CXXFLAGS += $(shell $(PYTHON_CONFIG) --includes) -DYOSYS_ENABLE_PYTHON
 
 OBJS += $(PY_WRAPPER_FILE).o
 PY_GEN_SCRIPT = pyosys/generator.py
@@ -1108,12 +1112,10 @@ DOC_TARGET ?= html
 docs: docs/prep
 	$(Q) $(MAKE) -C docs $(DOC_TARGET)
 
-clean:
+clean: clean-py
 	rm -rf share
-	rm -rf kernel/*.pyh
-	rm -f $(OBJS) $(GENFILES) $(TARGETS) $(EXTRA_TARGETS) $(EXTRA_OBJS) $(PY_WRAP_INCLUDES) $(PY_WRAPPER_FILE).inc.cc $(PY_WRAPPER_FILE).cc
+	rm -f $(OBJS) $(GENFILES) $(TARGETS) $(EXTRA_TARGETS) $(EXTRA_OBJS) $(PY_WRAP_INCLUDES)
 	rm -f kernel/version_*.o kernel/version_*.cc
-	rm -f $(PY_WRAPPER_FILE).o
 	rm -f libs/*/*.d frontends/*/*.d passes/*/*.d backends/*/*.d kernel/*.d techlibs/*/*.d
 	rm -rf tests/asicworld/*.out tests/asicworld/*.log
 	rm -rf tests/hana/*.out tests/hana/*.log
@@ -1127,8 +1129,14 @@ clean:
 	rm -f $(addsuffix /run-test.mk,$(MK_TEST_DIRS))
 	-$(MAKE) -C docs clean
 	rm -rf docs/util/__pycache__
+	rm -f libyosys.so
+
+clean-py:
+	rm -f $(PY_WRAPPER_FILE).inc.cc $(PY_WRAPPER_FILE).cc
+	rm -f $(PYTHON_OBJECTS)
 	rm -f *.whl
 	rm -f libyosys.so
+	rm -rf kernel/*.pyh
 
 clean-abc:
 	$(MAKE) -C abc DEP= clean
diff --git a/kernel/driver.cc b/kernel/driver.cc
index a27c0a00f..795fd9fc5 100644
--- a/kernel/driver.cc
+++ b/kernel/driver.cc
@@ -37,6 +37,12 @@
 #  include <tcl.h>
 #endif
 
+#ifdef YOSYS_ENABLE_PYTHON
+#  include <Python.h>
+#  include <pybind11/pybind11.h>
+namespace py = pybind11;
+#endif
+
 #include <stdio.h>
 #include <string.h>
 #include <limits.h>
@@ -91,7 +97,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 	log_error_stderr = true;
 	yosys_banner();
 	yosys_setup();
-#ifdef WITH_PYTHON
+#ifdef YOSYS_ENABLE_PYTHON
 	py::object sys = py::module_::import("sys");
 	sys.attr("path").attr("append")(proc_self_dirname());
 	sys.attr("path").attr("append")(proc_share_dirname());
@@ -227,10 +233,10 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 			cxxopts::value<std::string>(),"<tcl_scriptfile>")
 		("C,tcl-interactive", "enters TCL interactive shell mode")
 #endif // YOSYS_ENABLE_TCL
-#ifdef WITH_PYTHON
+#ifdef YOSYS_ENABLE_PYTHON
 		("y,py-scriptfile", "execute the Python <script>",
 			cxxopts::value<std::string>(), "<script>")
-#endif // WITH_PYTHON
+#endif // YOSYS_ENABLE_PYTHON
 		("p,commands", "execute <commands> (to chain commands, separate them with semicolon + whitespace: 'cmd1; cmd2')",
 			cxxopts::value<std::vector<std::string>>(), "<commands>")
 		("r,top", "elaborate the specified HDL <top> module",
@@ -516,7 +522,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 #endif
 
 	yosys_setup();
-#ifdef WITH_PYTHON
+#ifdef YOSYS_ENABLE_PYTHON
 	py::object sys = py::module_::import("sys");
 	sys.attr("path").attr("append")(proc_self_dirname());
 	sys.attr("path").attr("append")(proc_share_dirname());
@@ -568,7 +574,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 			log_error("Can't execute TCL script: this version of yosys is not built with TCL support enabled.\n");
 #endif
 		} else if (scriptfile_python) {
-#ifdef WITH_PYTHON
+#ifdef YOSYS_ENABLE_PYTHON
 			py::list new_argv;
 			int py_argc = special_args.size() + 1;
 			new_argv.append(scriptfile);
diff --git a/kernel/rtlil.cc b/kernel/rtlil.cc
index 8daf2c821..a594d2da3 100644
--- a/kernel/rtlil.cc
+++ b/kernel/rtlil.cc
@@ -1083,7 +1083,7 @@ RTLIL::Design::Design()
 	refcount_modules_ = 0;
 	push_full_selection();
 
-#ifdef WITH_PYTHON
+#ifdef YOSYS_ENABLE_PYTHON
 	RTLIL::Design::get_all_designs()->insert(std::pair<unsigned int, RTLIL::Design*>(hashidx_, this));
 #endif
 }
@@ -1094,12 +1094,12 @@ RTLIL::Design::~Design()
 		delete pr.second;
 	for (auto n : bindings_)
 		delete n;
-#ifdef WITH_PYTHON
+#ifdef YOSYS_ENABLE_PYTHON
 	RTLIL::Design::get_all_designs()->erase(hashidx_);
 #endif
 }
 
-#ifdef WITH_PYTHON
+#ifdef YOSYS_ENABLE_PYTHON
 static std::map<unsigned int, RTLIL::Design*> all_designs;
 std::map<unsigned int, RTLIL::Design*> *RTLIL::Design::get_all_designs(void)
 {
@@ -1430,7 +1430,7 @@ RTLIL::Module::Module()
 	refcount_wires_ = 0;
 	refcount_cells_ = 0;
 
-#ifdef WITH_PYTHON
+#ifdef YOSYS_ENABLE_PYTHON
 	RTLIL::Module::get_all_modules()->insert(std::pair<unsigned int, RTLIL::Module*>(hashidx_, this));
 #endif
 }
@@ -1447,12 +1447,12 @@ RTLIL::Module::~Module()
 		delete pr.second;
 	for (auto binding : bindings_)
 		delete binding;
-#ifdef WITH_PYTHON
+#ifdef YOSYS_ENABLE_PYTHON
 	RTLIL::Module::get_all_modules()->erase(hashidx_);
 #endif
 }
 
-#ifdef WITH_PYTHON
+#ifdef YOSYS_ENABLE_PYTHON
 static std::map<unsigned int, RTLIL::Module*> all_modules;
 std::map<unsigned int, RTLIL::Module*> *RTLIL::Module::get_all_modules(void)
 {
@@ -4109,19 +4109,19 @@ RTLIL::Wire::Wire()
 	upto = false;
 	is_signed = false;
 
-#ifdef WITH_PYTHON
+#ifdef YOSYS_ENABLE_PYTHON
 	RTLIL::Wire::get_all_wires()->insert(std::pair<unsigned int, RTLIL::Wire*>(hashidx_, this));
 #endif
 }
 
 RTLIL::Wire::~Wire()
 {
-#ifdef WITH_PYTHON
+#ifdef YOSYS_ENABLE_PYTHON
 	RTLIL::Wire::get_all_wires()->erase(hashidx_);
 #endif
 }
 
-#ifdef WITH_PYTHON
+#ifdef YOSYS_ENABLE_PYTHON
 static std::map<unsigned int, RTLIL::Wire*> all_wires;
 std::map<unsigned int, RTLIL::Wire*> *RTLIL::Wire::get_all_wires(void)
 {
@@ -4138,7 +4138,7 @@ RTLIL::Memory::Memory()
 	width = 1;
 	start_offset = 0;
 	size = 0;
-#ifdef WITH_PYTHON
+#ifdef YOSYS_ENABLE_PYTHON
 	RTLIL::Memory::get_all_memorys()->insert(std::pair<unsigned int, RTLIL::Memory*>(hashidx_, this));
 #endif
 }
@@ -4159,19 +4159,19 @@ RTLIL::Cell::Cell() : module(nullptr)
 	// log("#memtrace# %p\n", this);
 	memhasher();
 
-#ifdef WITH_PYTHON
+#ifdef YOSYS_ENABLE_PYTHON
 	RTLIL::Cell::get_all_cells()->insert(std::pair<unsigned int, RTLIL::Cell*>(hashidx_, this));
 #endif
 }
 
 RTLIL::Cell::~Cell()
 {
-#ifdef WITH_PYTHON
+#ifdef YOSYS_ENABLE_PYTHON
 	RTLIL::Cell::get_all_cells()->erase(hashidx_);
 #endif
 }
 
-#ifdef WITH_PYTHON
+#ifdef YOSYS_ENABLE_PYTHON
 static std::map<unsigned int, RTLIL::Cell*> all_cells;
 std::map<unsigned int, RTLIL::Cell*> *RTLIL::Cell::get_all_cells(void)
 {
@@ -5957,7 +5957,7 @@ RTLIL::Process *RTLIL::Process::clone() const
 	return new_proc;
 }
 
-#ifdef WITH_PYTHON
+#ifdef YOSYS_ENABLE_PYTHON
 RTLIL::Memory::~Memory()
 {
 	RTLIL::Memory::get_all_memorys()->erase(hashidx_);
diff --git a/kernel/rtlil.h b/kernel/rtlil.h
index 9f636c5a2..01f8abdb2 100644
--- a/kernel/rtlil.h
+++ b/kernel/rtlil.h
@@ -1680,7 +1680,7 @@ struct RTLIL::Design
 	// returns all selected unboxed whole modules, warning the user if any
 	// partially selected or boxed modules have been ignored
 	std::vector<RTLIL::Module*> selected_unboxed_whole_modules_warn() const { return selected_modules(SELECT_WHOLE_WARN, SB_UNBOXED_WARN); }
-#ifdef WITH_PYTHON
+#ifdef YOSYS_ENABLE_PYTHON
 	static std::map<unsigned int, RTLIL::Design*> *get_all_designs(void);
 #endif
 };
@@ -2040,7 +2040,7 @@ public:
 	RTLIL::SigSpec OriginalTag     (RTLIL::IdString name, const std::string &tag, const RTLIL::SigSpec &sig_a, const std::string &src = "");
 	RTLIL::SigSpec FutureFF        (RTLIL::IdString name, const RTLIL::SigSpec &sig_e, const std::string &src = "");
 
-#ifdef WITH_PYTHON
+#ifdef YOSYS_ENABLE_PYTHON
 	static std::map<unsigned int, RTLIL::Module*> *get_all_modules(void);
 #endif
 };
@@ -2093,7 +2093,7 @@ public:
 		return zero_index + start_offset;
 	}
 
-#ifdef WITH_PYTHON
+#ifdef YOSYS_ENABLE_PYTHON
 	static std::map<unsigned int, RTLIL::Wire*> *get_all_wires(void);
 #endif
 };
@@ -2110,7 +2110,7 @@ struct RTLIL::Memory : public RTLIL::NamedObject
 	Memory();
 
 	int width, start_offset, size;
-#ifdef WITH_PYTHON
+#ifdef YOSYS_ENABLE_PYTHON
 	~Memory();
 	static std::map<unsigned int, RTLIL::Memory*> *get_all_memorys(void);
 #endif
@@ -2168,7 +2168,7 @@ public:
 	template<typename T> void rewrite_sigspecs(T &functor);
 	template<typename T> void rewrite_sigspecs2(T &functor);
 
-#ifdef WITH_PYTHON
+#ifdef YOSYS_ENABLE_PYTHON
 	static std::map<unsigned int, RTLIL::Cell*> *get_all_cells(void);
 #endif
 
diff --git a/kernel/yosys.cc b/kernel/yosys.cc
index 47057c1ca..7ed036a02 100644
--- a/kernel/yosys.cc
+++ b/kernel/yosys.cc
@@ -37,6 +37,12 @@
 #  include <dlfcn.h>
 #endif
 
+#ifdef YOSYS_ENABLE_PYTHON
+#  include <Python.h>
+#  include <pybind11/pybind11.h>
+namespace py = pybind11;
+#endif
+
 #if defined(_WIN32)
 #  include <windows.h>
 #  include <io.h>
@@ -63,7 +69,7 @@
 #  include <sys/sysctl.h>
 #endif
 
-#ifdef WITH_PYTHON
+#ifdef YOSYS_ENABLE_PYTHON
 extern "C" PyObject* PyInit_libyosys();
 extern "C" PyObject* PyInit_pyosys();
 #include <signal.h>
@@ -184,7 +190,7 @@ int run_command(const std::string &command, std::function<void(const std::string
 bool already_setup = false;
 bool already_shutdown = false;
 
-#ifdef WITH_PYTHON
+#ifdef YOSYS_ENABLE_PYTHON
 // Include pyosys as a package for some compatibility with wheels.
 //
 // This should not affect using wheels as the dylib has to actually be called
@@ -203,7 +209,7 @@ void yosys_setup()
 
 	IdString::ensure_prepopulated();
 
-#ifdef WITH_PYTHON
+#ifdef YOSYS_ENABLE_PYTHON
 	// Starting Python 3.12, calling PyImport_AppendInittab on an already
 	// initialized platform fails (such as when libyosys is imported
 	// from a Python interpreter)
@@ -267,13 +273,13 @@ void yosys_shutdown()
 		dlclose(it.second);
 
 	loaded_plugins.clear();
-#ifdef WITH_PYTHON
+#ifdef YOSYS_ENABLE_PYTHON
 	loaded_python_plugins.clear();
 #endif
 	loaded_plugin_aliases.clear();
 #endif
 
-#ifdef WITH_PYTHON
+#ifdef YOSYS_ENABLE_PYTHON
 	Py_Finalize();
 #endif
 }
@@ -549,7 +555,7 @@ void init_share_dirname()
 #else
 void init_share_dirname()
 {
-#  ifdef WITH_PYTHON
+#  ifdef YOSYS_ENABLE_PYTHON
 	PyObject *sys_obj = PyImport_ImportModule("sys");
 
 	if (PyObject_HasAttrString(sys_obj, "_pyosys_share_dirname")) {
@@ -609,7 +615,7 @@ void init_abc_executable_name()
 		yosys_abc_executable = proc_self_dirname() + "..\\" + proc_program_prefix() + "yosys-abc";
 #  endif
 
-#  ifdef WITH_PYTHON
+#  ifdef YOSYS_ENABLE_PYTHON
 	PyObject *sys_obj = PyImport_ImportModule("sys");
 
 	if (PyObject_HasAttrString(sys_obj, "_pyosys_abc")) {
diff --git a/kernel/yosys.h b/kernel/yosys.h
index 7dfe8aa0b..b455ad496 100644
--- a/kernel/yosys.h
+++ b/kernel/yosys.h
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ YOSYS_NAMESPACE_BEGIN
 
 void yosys_setup();
 
-#ifdef WITH_PYTHON
+#ifdef YOSYS_ENABLE_PYTHON
 bool yosys_already_setup();
 #endif
 
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ extern std::vector<RTLIL::Design*> pushed_designs;
 
 // from passes/cmds/pluginc.cc
 extern std::map<std::string, void*> loaded_plugins;
-#ifdef WITH_PYTHON
+#ifdef YOSYS_ENABLE_PYTHON
 extern std::map<std::string, void*> loaded_python_plugins;
 #endif
 extern std::map<std::string, std::string> loaded_plugin_aliases;
diff --git a/kernel/yosys_common.h b/kernel/yosys_common.h
index 3a74611a1..9afd2ac00 100644
--- a/kernel/yosys_common.h
+++ b/kernel/yosys_common.h
@@ -53,13 +53,6 @@
 #include <sys/stat.h>
 #include <errno.h>
 
-#ifdef WITH_PYTHON
-#include <Python.h>
-#include <pybind11/pybind11.h>
-
-namespace py = pybind11;
-#endif
-
 #ifndef _YOSYS_
 #  error It looks like you are trying to build Yosys without the config defines set. \
          When building Yosys with a custom make system, make sure you set all the \
diff --git a/passes/cmds/plugin.cc b/passes/cmds/plugin.cc
index e1e888a85..191261a17 100644
--- a/passes/cmds/plugin.cc
+++ b/passes/cmds/plugin.cc
@@ -24,10 +24,16 @@
 #  include <dlfcn.h>
 #endif
 
+#ifdef YOSYS_ENABLE_PYTHON
+#  include <Python.h>
+#  include <pybind11/pybind11.h>
+namespace py = pybind11;
+#endif
+
 YOSYS_NAMESPACE_BEGIN
 
 std::map<std::string, void*> loaded_plugins;
-#ifdef WITH_PYTHON
+#ifdef YOSYS_ENABLE_PYTHON
 std::map<std::string, void*> loaded_python_plugins;
 #endif
 std::map<std::string, std::string> loaded_plugin_aliases;
@@ -43,7 +49,7 @@ void load_plugin(std::string filename, std::vector<std::string> aliases)
 		filename = "./" + filename;
 
 
-	#ifdef WITH_PYTHON
+	#ifdef YOSYS_ENABLE_PYTHON
 	const bool is_loaded = loaded_plugins.count(orig_filename) && loaded_python_plugins.count(orig_filename);
 	#else
 	const bool is_loaded = loaded_plugins.count(orig_filename);
@@ -52,7 +58,7 @@ void load_plugin(std::string filename, std::vector<std::string> aliases)
 	if (!is_loaded) {
 		// Check if we're loading a python script
 		if (filename.rfind(".py") != std::string::npos) {
-			#ifdef WITH_PYTHON
+			#ifdef YOSYS_ENABLE_PYTHON
 				py::object Path = py::module_::import("pathlib").attr("Path");
 				py::object full_path = Path(py::cast(filename));
 				py::object plugin_python_path = full_path.attr("parent");
@@ -171,7 +177,7 @@ struct PluginPass : public Pass {
 		if (list_mode)
 		{
 			log("\n");
-#ifdef WITH_PYTHON
+#ifdef YOSYS_ENABLE_PYTHON
 			if (loaded_plugins.empty() and loaded_python_plugins.empty())
 #else
 			if (loaded_plugins.empty())
@@ -183,7 +189,7 @@ struct PluginPass : public Pass {
 			for (auto &it : loaded_plugins)
 				log("  %s\n", it.first);
 
-#ifdef WITH_PYTHON
+#ifdef YOSYS_ENABLE_PYTHON
 			for (auto &it : loaded_python_plugins)
 				log("  %s\n", it.first);
 #endif
diff --git a/pyosys/generator.py b/pyosys/generator.py
index b0cec99e3..e8e0d96fe 100644
--- a/pyosys/generator.py
+++ b/pyosys/generator.py
@@ -349,7 +349,7 @@ class PyosysWrapperGenerator(object):
         cxx_std = os.getenv("CXX_STD", "c++17")
         return ParserOptions(
             preprocessor=make_gcc_preprocessor(
-                defines=["_YOSYS_", "WITH_PYTHON"],
+                defines=["_YOSYS_", "YOSYS_ENABLE_PYTHON"],
                 gcc_args=[preprocessor_bin, "-fsyntax-only", f"-std={cxx_std}"],
                 include_paths=[str(__yosys_root__), py_include, pybind11.get_include()],
             ),
diff --git a/pyosys/hashlib.h b/pyosys/hashlib.h
index b772a2bb3..c6ca8c096 100644
--- a/pyosys/hashlib.h
+++ b/pyosys/hashlib.h
@@ -41,9 +41,10 @@
 //
 #include <optional> // optional maps cleanest to methods that accept None in Python
 
-#include <pybind11/pybind11.h> // base
 #include <pybind11/stl.h> // std::optional
+#include <pybind11/pybind11.h> // base
 #include <pybind11/operators.h> // easier operator binding
+#include <pybind11/stl_bind.h> // vector
 
 #include "kernel/hashlib.h"
 
@@ -269,7 +270,7 @@ void bind_set(module &m, const char *name_cstr) {
 		.def("__iter__", [](const C &s){
 			return make_iterator(s.begin(), s.end());
 		}, keep_alive<0,1>())
-		.def("__repr__", [name_cstr](const py::iterable &s){
+		.def("__repr__", [name_cstr](const iterable &s){
 			// repr(set(s)) where s is iterable would be more terse/robust
 			// but are there concerns with copying?
 			str representation = str(name_cstr) + str("({");
diff --git a/pyosys/wrappers_tpl.cc b/pyosys/wrappers_tpl.cc
index 84e201657..9dee4f710 100644
--- a/pyosys/wrappers_tpl.cc
+++ b/pyosys/wrappers_tpl.cc
@@ -16,14 +16,16 @@
  *  OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE USE OR PERFORMANCE OF THIS SOFTWARE.
  */
 
-#ifdef WITH_PYTHON
+#ifdef YOSYS_ENABLE_PYTHON
 
 // <!-- generated includes -->
-
-#include <pybind11/stl_bind.h>
+#include <pybind11/pybind11.h>
 #include <pybind11/native_enum.h>
+
 #include "pyosys/hashlib.h"
 
+namespace py = pybind11;
+
 USING_YOSYS_NAMESPACE
 
 using std::set;
@@ -256,4 +258,4 @@ namespace YOSYS_PYTHON {
 	};
 };
 
-#endif // WITH_PYTHON
+#endif // YOSYS_ENABLE_PYTHON