diff --git a/src/tools/x/src/main.rs b/src/tools/x/src/main.rs
index 02c364dabf960..5e2eeb3b26c5a 100644
--- a/src/tools/x/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/tools/x/src/main.rs
@@ -28,12 +28,15 @@ fn python() -> &'static str {
 
     for dir in env::split_paths(&val) {
         // `python` should always take precedence over python2 / python3 if it exists
-        if dir.join(PYTHON).with_extension(EXE_EXTENSION).exists() {
+
+        // The checks are `symlink_metadata().is_ok()` because of magic trickery used by Microsoft Store's
+        // Python installation with symlinks: they appear as symlinks with no targets.
+        if dir.join(PYTHON).with_extension(EXE_EXTENSION).symlink_metadata().is_ok() {
             return PYTHON;
         }
 
-        python2 |= dir.join(PYTHON2).with_extension(EXE_EXTENSION).exists();
-        python3 |= dir.join(PYTHON3).with_extension(EXE_EXTENSION).exists();
+        python2 |= dir.join(PYTHON2).with_extension(EXE_EXTENSION).symlink_metadata().is_ok();
+        python3 |= dir.join(PYTHON3).with_extension(EXE_EXTENSION).symlink_metadata().is_ok();
     }
 
     // try 3 before 2