diff --git a/tools/macos.bazelrc b/tools/macos.bazelrc
index f07cff67b196..cc67a418ef14 100644
--- a/tools/macos.bazelrc
+++ b/tools/macos.bazelrc
@@ -7,3 +7,6 @@ build --action_env=DRAKE_PYTHON_BIN_PATH=/usr/local/bin/python2
 # Explicit configuration for Python 3.
 build:python3 --python_path=/usr/local/bin/python3
 build:python3 --action_env=DRAKE_PYTHON_BIN_PATH=/usr/local/bin/python3
+
+# Configure ${PATH} for actions (#10304).
+build --action_env=PATH=/usr/local/bin:/usr/bin:/bin
diff --git a/tools/ubuntu-bionic.bazelrc b/tools/ubuntu-bionic.bazelrc
index c97c8b1b5de1..a938dec66e5e 100644
--- a/tools/ubuntu-bionic.bazelrc
+++ b/tools/ubuntu-bionic.bazelrc
@@ -5,3 +5,6 @@ build --action_env=DRAKE_PYTHON_BIN_PATH=/usr/bin/python2
 # Explicit configuration for Python 3.
 build:python3 --python_path=/usr/bin/python3
 build:python3 --action_env=DRAKE_PYTHON_BIN_PATH=/usr/bin/python3
+
+# Configure ${PATH} for actions (#10304).
+build --action_env=PATH=/usr/bin:/bin
diff --git a/tools/ubuntu-xenial.bazelrc b/tools/ubuntu-xenial.bazelrc
index c97c8b1b5de1..a938dec66e5e 100644
--- a/tools/ubuntu-xenial.bazelrc
+++ b/tools/ubuntu-xenial.bazelrc
@@ -5,3 +5,6 @@ build --action_env=DRAKE_PYTHON_BIN_PATH=/usr/bin/python2
 # Explicit configuration for Python 3.
 build:python3 --python_path=/usr/bin/python3
 build:python3 --action_env=DRAKE_PYTHON_BIN_PATH=/usr/bin/python3
+
+# Configure ${PATH} for actions (#10304).
+build --action_env=PATH=/usr/bin:/bin