diff --git a/python3/BUILD b/python3/BUILD
index bbd60e351..1c0da9c3c 100644
--- a/python3/BUILD
+++ b/python3/BUILD
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ load("//private/util:tar.bzl", "tar")
 load(":config.bzl", "PYTHON_ARCHITECTURES", "PYTHON_DISTROS", "PYTHON_PACKAGES")
 load(":ldconfig.bzl", "python3_ldconfig")
 load(":python.bzl", "python3_image", "python3_image_index")
+load(":version_test.bzl", "clean_python_version_test")
 
 package(default_visibility = ["//visibility:public"])
 
@@ -42,3 +43,5 @@ python3_ldconfig(
     architectures = PYTHON_ARCHITECTURES["debian13"],
     distro = "debian13",
 )
+
+clean_python_version_test(name = "clean_python_version_test")
diff --git a/python3/python.bzl b/python3/python.bzl
index 022b62ac1..6f2343ab7 100644
--- a/python3/python.bzl
+++ b/python3/python.bzl
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ load("@rules_oci//oci:defs.bzl", "oci_image", "oci_image_index")
 load("//common:variables.bzl", "DEBUG_MODE", "OS_RELEASE", "USERS")
 load("//private/util:deb.bzl", "deb")
 load("//private/util:tar.bzl", "tar")
+load(":version.bzl", "clean_python_version")
 
 DISTRO_VERSION = {
     "debian13": "3.13",
@@ -50,6 +51,13 @@ def python3_image(distro, arch, packages):
     """
     python_alias(distro)
 
+    _python_version = clean_python_version(deb.version(
+        arch,
+        distro,
+        "python" + DISTRO_VERSION[distro] + "-minimal",
+        "python",
+    ))
+
     for mode in DEBUG_MODE:
         for user in USERS:
             oci_image(
@@ -65,7 +73,10 @@ def python3_image(distro, arch, packages):
                     deb.package(arch, distro, pkg, "python")
                     for pkg in packages
                 ] + [":python_aliases_%s" % distro] + ([":ldconfig_cache_" + arch] if distro == "debian13" else []),
-                annotations = {"org.opencontainers.image.source": OS_RELEASE["HOME_URL"]},
+                annotations = {
+                    "org.opencontainers.image.source": OS_RELEASE["HOME_URL"],
+                    "com.google.distroless.python.version": _python_version,
+                },
             )
 
     for user in USERS:
diff --git a/python3/version.bzl b/python3/version.bzl
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a639b0c95
--- /dev/null
+++ b/python3/version.bzl
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+"Python version helper functions"
+
+def clean_python_version(version_string):
+    """Clean Debian package version to get upstream Python version.
+
+    Handles epochs (prefix before first ':') and Debian revisions (suffix after last '-').
+    """
+
+    # Handle epoch (split at first ':')
+    epoch_parts = version_string.partition(":")
+    if epoch_parts[1]:  # separator found
+        version_string = epoch_parts[2]
+    else:
+        version_string = epoch_parts[0]
+
+    # Handle revision (split at last '-')
+    rev_parts = version_string.rpartition("-")
+    if rev_parts[1]:  # separator found
+        version_string = rev_parts[0]
+    else:
+        version_string = rev_parts[2]
+
+    return version_string
diff --git a/python3/version_test.bzl b/python3/version_test.bzl
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ef32b7e1f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/python3/version_test.bzl
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+load("@bazel_skylib//lib:unittest.bzl", "asserts", "unittest")
+load(":version.bzl", "clean_python_version")
+
+def _clean_python_version_test_impl(ctx):
+    env = unittest.begin(ctx)
+
+    # Standard Debian version: upstream-revision
+    asserts.equals(env, "3.13.5", clean_python_version("3.13.5-2"))
+
+    # With epoch: epoch:upstream-revision
+    asserts.equals(env, "3.13.5", clean_python_version("1:3.13.5-2"))
+
+    # With epoch and complex revision (e.g. backport)
+    asserts.equals(env, "3.13.5", clean_python_version("1:3.13.5-2+deb13u3"))
+
+    # Raw upstream only (no revision, no epoch)
+    asserts.equals(env, "3.13.5", clean_python_version("3.13.5"))
+
+    # Upstream containing hyphens (should preserve hyphens in upstream, split at last hyphen)
+    asserts.equals(env, "3.13.5-rc1", clean_python_version("3.13.5-rc1-1"))
+
+    # Upstream containing hyphens and epoch
+    asserts.equals(env, "3.13.5-rc1", clean_python_version("1:3.13.5-rc1-1"))
+
+    # Upstream containing colons (unlikely but test robustness)
+    # partition(":")[:] should handle it if we only split at first colon
+    asserts.equals(env, "3.13:5", clean_python_version("1:3.13:5-1"))
+
+    return unittest.end(env)
+
+clean_python_version_test = unittest.make(
+    impl = _clean_python_version_test_impl,
+)