diff --git a/src/python/pants/backend/python/util_rules/BUILD b/src/python/pants/backend/python/util_rules/BUILD
index 6c2224f9d40..2b49775b0ba 100644
--- a/src/python/pants/backend/python/util_rules/BUILD
+++ b/src/python/pants/backend/python/util_rules/BUILD
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ python_tests(
     name="tests",
     overrides={
         "local_dists_test.py": {"timeout": 120},
-        "pex_from_targets_test.py": {"timeout": 200},
+        "pex_from_targets_test.py": {"timeout": 200, "dependencies": ["3rdparty/python#pex"]},
         "pex_test.py": {"timeout": 600, "dependencies": [":complete_platform_pex_test"]},
         "package_dists_test.py": {"timeout": 150},
         "vcs_versioning_test.py": {"timeout": 120},
diff --git a/src/python/pants/core/subsystems/python_bootstrap.py b/src/python/pants/core/subsystems/python_bootstrap.py
index 6a4743af0ee..50bf0e77aa7 100644
--- a/src/python/pants/core/subsystems/python_bootstrap.py
+++ b/src/python/pants/core/subsystems/python_bootstrap.py
@@ -6,10 +6,9 @@
 import itertools
 import logging
 import os
+import sys
 from dataclasses import dataclass
-from typing import Collection
-
-from pex.variables import Variables
+from typing import Collection, Optional
 
 from pants.core.util_rules import asdf, search_paths
 from pants.core.util_rules.asdf import AsdfPathString, AsdfToolPathsResult
@@ -226,13 +225,49 @@ async def _expand_interpreter_search_paths(
     return _SearchPaths(tuple(expanded))
 
 
+# This method is copied from the pex package, located at pex.variables.Variables._get_kv().
+# It is copied here to avoid a hard dependency on pex.
+def _get_kv(variable: str) -> Optional[list[str]]:
+    kv = variable.strip().split("=")
+    if len(list(filter(None, kv))) == 2:
+        return kv
+    else:
+        return None
+
+
+# This method is copied from the pex package, located at pex.variables.Variables.from_rc().
+# It is copied here to avoid a hard dependency on pex.
+def _read_pex_rc(rc: Optional[str] = None) -> dict[str, str]:
+    """Read pex runtime configuration variables from a pexrc file.
+
+    :param rc: an absolute path to a pexrc file.
+    :return: A dict of key value pairs found in processed pexrc files.
+    """
+    ret_vars = {}
+    rc_locations = [
+        os.path.join(os.sep, "etc", "pexrc"),
+        os.path.join("~", ".pexrc"),
+        os.path.join(os.path.dirname(sys.argv[0]), ".pexrc"),
+    ]
+    if rc:
+        rc_locations.append(rc)
+    for filename in rc_locations:
+        try:
+            with open(os.path.expanduser(filename)) as fh:
+                rc_items = map(_get_kv, fh)
+                ret_vars.update(dict(filter(None, rc_items)))
+        except OSError:
+            continue
+    return ret_vars
+
+
 def _get_pex_python_paths():
     """Returns a list of paths to Python interpreters as defined in a pexrc file.
 
     These are provided by a PEX_PYTHON_PATH in either of '/etc/pexrc', '~/.pexrc'. PEX_PYTHON_PATH
     defines a colon-separated list of paths to interpreters that a pex can be built and run against.
     """
-    ppp = Variables.from_rc().get("PEX_PYTHON_PATH")
+    ppp = _read_pex_rc().get("PEX_PYTHON_PATH")
     if ppp:
         return ppp.split(os.pathsep)
     else:
diff --git a/tests/python/pants_test/init/test_plugin_resolver.py b/tests/python/pants_test/init/test_plugin_resolver.py
index f0445cf9e98..21e2162296a 100644
--- a/tests/python/pants_test/init/test_plugin_resolver.py
+++ b/tests/python/pants_test/init/test_plugin_resolver.py
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@
 from typing import Dict, Iterable, Sequence
 
 import pytest
-from pex.interpreter import PythonInterpreter
 from pkg_resources import Distribution, Requirement, WorkingSet
 
 from pants.backend.python.util_rules import pex
@@ -31,7 +30,6 @@
 from pants.testutil.python_interpreter_selection import (
     PY_38,
     PY_39,
-    python_interpreter_path,
     skip_unless_python38_and_python39_present,
 )
 from pants.testutil.rule_runner import EXECUTOR, QueryRule, RuleRunner
@@ -125,7 +123,7 @@ class Plugin:
 def plugin_resolution(
     rule_runner: RuleRunner,
     *,
-    interpreter: PythonInterpreter | None = None,
+    python_version: str | None = None,
     chroot: str | None = None,
     plugins: Sequence[Plugin] = (),
     requirements: Iterable[str] = (),
@@ -143,7 +141,7 @@ def provide_chroot(existing):
 
     # Default to resolving with whatever we're currently running with.
     interpreter_constraints = (
-        InterpreterConstraints([f"=={interpreter.identity.version_str}"]) if interpreter else None
+        InterpreterConstraints([f"=={python_version}.*"]) if python_version else None
     )
     artifact_interpreter_constraints = interpreter_constraints or InterpreterConstraints(
         [f"=={'.'.join(map(str, sys.version_info[:3]))}"]
@@ -301,12 +299,9 @@ def test_exact_requirements_interpreter_change_bdist(rule_runner: RuleRunner) ->
 
 
 def _do_test_exact_requirements_interpreter_change(rule_runner: RuleRunner, sdist: bool) -> None:
-    python38 = PythonInterpreter.from_binary(python_interpreter_path(PY_38))
-    python39 = PythonInterpreter.from_binary(python_interpreter_path(PY_39))
-
     with plugin_resolution(
         rule_runner,
-        interpreter=python38,
+        python_version=PY_38,
         plugins=[Plugin("jake", "1.2.3"), Plugin("jane", "3.4.5")],
         sdist=sdist,
     ) as results:
@@ -316,7 +311,7 @@ def _do_test_exact_requirements_interpreter_change(rule_runner: RuleRunner, sdis
         with pytest.raises(ExecutionError):
             with plugin_resolution(
                 rule_runner,
-                interpreter=python39,
+                python_version=PY_39,
                 chroot=chroot,
                 plugins=[Plugin("jake", "1.2.3"), Plugin("jane", "3.4.5")],
             ):
@@ -333,7 +328,7 @@ def _do_test_exact_requirements_interpreter_change(rule_runner: RuleRunner, sdis
         # directly from the still in-tact cache.
         with plugin_resolution(
             rule_runner,
-            interpreter=python38,
+            python_version=PY_38,
             chroot=chroot,
             plugins=[Plugin("jake", "1.2.3"), Plugin("jane", "3.4.5")],
         ) as results2: