diff --git a/python_bindings/src/PyError.cpp b/python_bindings/src/PyError.cpp
index bfc7459424f3..8ff0f4f53aca 100644
--- a/python_bindings/src/PyError.cpp
+++ b/python_bindings/src/PyError.cpp
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ void halide_python_error(JITUserContext *, const char *msg) {
 }
 
 void halide_python_print(JITUserContext *, const char *msg) {
+    py::gil_scoped_acquire acquire;
     py::print(msg, py::arg("end") = "");
 }
 
diff --git a/python_bindings/src/PyFunc.cpp b/python_bindings/src/PyFunc.cpp
index 7ead1e9b9d6f..f87666c16f82 100644
--- a/python_bindings/src/PyFunc.cpp
+++ b/python_bindings/src/PyFunc.cpp
@@ -117,6 +117,7 @@ void define_func(py::module &m) {
             .def(
                 "realize",
                 [](Func &f, Buffer<> buffer, const Target &target) -> void {
+                    py::gil_scoped_release release;
                     f.realize(buffer, target);
                 },
                 py::arg("dst"), py::arg("target") = Target())
@@ -125,6 +126,7 @@ void define_func(py::module &m) {
             .def(
                 "realize",
                 [](Func &f, std::vector<Buffer<>> buffers, const Target &t) -> void {
+                    py::gil_scoped_release release;
                     f.realize(Realization(buffers), t);
                 },
                 py::arg("dst"), py::arg("target") = Target())
@@ -132,7 +134,12 @@ void define_func(py::module &m) {
             .def(
                 "realize",
                 [](Func &f, const std::vector<int32_t> &sizes, const Target &target) -> py::object {
-                    return realization_to_object(f.realize(sizes, target));
+                    std::optional<Realization> r;
+                    {
+                        py::gil_scoped_release release;
+                        r = std::move(f.realize(sizes, target));
+                    }
+                    return realization_to_object(*r);
                 },
                 py::arg("sizes") = std::vector<int32_t>{}, py::arg("target") = Target())
 
diff --git a/python_bindings/src/PyPipeline.cpp b/python_bindings/src/PyPipeline.cpp
index ae5257492138..155b74821f72 100644
--- a/python_bindings/src/PyPipeline.cpp
+++ b/python_bindings/src/PyPipeline.cpp
@@ -96,6 +96,7 @@ void define_pipeline(py::module &m) {
 
             .def(
                 "realize", [](Pipeline &p, Buffer<> buffer, const Target &target) -> void {
+                    py::gil_scoped_release release;
                     p.realize(Realization(buffer), target);
                 },
                 py::arg("dst"), py::arg("target") = Target())
@@ -103,13 +104,19 @@ void define_pipeline(py::module &m) {
             // This will actually allow a list-of-buffers as well as a tuple-of-buffers, but that's OK.
             .def(
                 "realize", [](Pipeline &p, std::vector<Buffer<>> buffers, const Target &t) -> void {
+                    py::gil_scoped_release release;
                     p.realize(Realization(buffers), t);
                 },
                 py::arg("dst"), py::arg("target") = Target())
 
             .def(
                 "realize", [](Pipeline &p, std::vector<int32_t> sizes, const Target &target) -> py::object {
-                    return realization_to_object(p.realize(std::move(sizes), target));
+                    std::optional<Realization> r;
+                    {
+                        py::gil_scoped_release release;
+                        r = std::move(p.realize(std::move(sizes), target));
+                    }
+                    return realization_to_object(*r);
                 },
                 py::arg("sizes") = std::vector<int32_t>{}, py::arg("target") = Target())
 
diff --git a/src/PythonExtensionGen.cpp b/src/PythonExtensionGen.cpp
index 3a6ce49bb7b8..bcfa189acf63 100644
--- a/src/PythonExtensionGen.cpp
+++ b/src/PythonExtensionGen.cpp
@@ -347,7 +347,9 @@ void PythonExtensionGen::compile(const LoweredFunc &f) {
             // Python already converted this.
         }
     }
-    dest << "    int result = " << f.name << "(";
+    dest << "    int result;\n";
+    dest << "    Py_BEGIN_ALLOW_THREADS\n";
+    dest << "    result = " << f.name << "(";
     for (size_t i = 0; i < args.size(); i++) {
         if (i > 0) {
             dest << ", ";
@@ -359,6 +361,7 @@ void PythonExtensionGen::compile(const LoweredFunc &f) {
         }
     }
     dest << ");\n";
+    dest << "    Py_END_ALLOW_THREADS\n";
     release_buffers();
     dest << R"INLINE_CODE(
     if (result != 0) {