diff --git a/scripts/lib/setup_path.py b/scripts/lib/setup_path.py
index 2eb1a27803..751038c19f 100644
--- a/scripts/lib/setup_path.py
+++ b/scripts/lib/setup_path.py
@@ -7,9 +7,10 @@ import sys
 
 
 def setup_path() -> None:
-    if os.path.basename(sys.prefix) != "zulip-py3-venv":
-        BASE_DIR = os.path.dirname(os.path.dirname(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__))))
-        venv = os.path.join(BASE_DIR, "zulip-py3-venv")
+    BASE_DIR = os.path.dirname(os.path.dirname(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__))))
+    venv = os.path.realpath(os.path.join(BASE_DIR, "zulip-py3-venv"))
+    if sys.prefix != venv:
+        sys.path = list(filter(lambda p: "/zulip-py3-venv/" not in p, sys.path))
         activate_this = os.path.join(venv, "bin", "activate_this.py")
         activate_locals = dict(__file__=activate_this)
         with open(activate_this) as f: