diff --git a/examples/affine.py b/examples/affine.py
index c12c5a4..f0364e8 100755
--- a/examples/affine.py
+++ b/examples/affine.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
 
 import sys
 import pyvips
diff --git a/examples/annotate-animation.py b/examples/annotate-animation.py
index 0dd57a7..e6f1c25 100755
--- a/examples/annotate-animation.py
+++ b/examples/annotate-animation.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
 
 import sys
 import pyvips
diff --git a/examples/cod.py b/examples/cod.py
index d602e02..77de3bd 100755
--- a/examples/cod.py
+++ b/examples/cod.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
 
 import sys
 import pyvips
diff --git a/examples/connection.py b/examples/connection.py
index 5d1bebc..11a01d9 100755
--- a/examples/connection.py
+++ b/examples/connection.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
 
 import sys
 import pyvips
diff --git a/examples/convolve.py b/examples/convolve.py
index 4a9d2c3..a7646b3 100755
--- a/examples/convolve.py
+++ b/examples/convolve.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
 
 """ example pyvips code to convolve an image with a 3x3 mask
 
diff --git a/examples/join-animation.py b/examples/join-animation.py
index 4913e85..c4f179b 100755
--- a/examples/join-animation.py
+++ b/examples/join-animation.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
 
 import sys
 import pyvips
diff --git a/examples/orientation.py b/examples/orientation.py
index ebcd858..3d322e1 100755
--- a/examples/orientation.py
+++ b/examples/orientation.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
 
 import sys
 import pyvips
diff --git a/examples/pil-numpy-pyvips.py b/examples/pil-numpy-pyvips.py
index 03857a4..79b7cd3 100755
--- a/examples/pil-numpy-pyvips.py
+++ b/examples/pil-numpy-pyvips.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
 
 import sys
 import time
diff --git a/examples/progress.py b/examples/progress.py
index 0982380..594e59a 100755
--- a/examples/progress.py
+++ b/examples/progress.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
 
 import pyvips
 
diff --git a/examples/read_profile.py b/examples/read_profile.py
index 2e4d49f..6102d8c 100755
--- a/examples/read_profile.py
+++ b/examples/read_profile.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
 
 import sys
 import pyvips
diff --git a/examples/shepard.py b/examples/shepard.py
index 3108526..bda7741 100755
--- a/examples/shepard.py
+++ b/examples/shepard.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
 
 # Shepard's distortion, from https://github.com/tourtiere/light-distortion
 # with kind permission.
diff --git a/examples/soak-test.py b/examples/soak-test.py
index cccbccd..83a08ca 100755
--- a/examples/soak-test.py
+++ b/examples/soak-test.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
 
 import sys
 import pyvips
diff --git a/examples/split-animation.py b/examples/split-animation.py
index 1351eac..5726058 100755
--- a/examples/split-animation.py
+++ b/examples/split-animation.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
 
 import sys
 import pyvips
diff --git a/examples/stdio.py b/examples/stdio.py
index 93e396e..17917ff 100755
--- a/examples/stdio.py
+++ b/examples/stdio.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
 
 import sys
 import pyvips
diff --git a/examples/stream.py b/examples/stream.py
index bce8c79..2142a91 100755
--- a/examples/stream.py
+++ b/examples/stream.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
 
 import sys
 import requests
diff --git a/examples/thumb-dir.py b/examples/thumb-dir.py
index 4e23260..31aafb9 100755
--- a/examples/thumb-dir.py
+++ b/examples/thumb-dir.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
 
 """
 example pyvips code to run thumbnail on a dir full of images
diff --git a/examples/try1.py b/examples/try1.py
index 65c3829..bfd89de 100755
--- a/examples/try1.py
+++ b/examples/try1.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
 
 import sys
 
diff --git a/examples/try10.py b/examples/try10.py
index 183b9bc..26d710e 100755
--- a/examples/try10.py
+++ b/examples/try10.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
 
 # import logging
 # logging.basicConfig(level = logging.DEBUG)
diff --git a/examples/try11.py b/examples/try11.py
index 012450e..4fea504 100755
--- a/examples/try11.py
+++ b/examples/try11.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
 
 import sys
 import pyvips
diff --git a/examples/try12.py b/examples/try12.py
index 6d530c4..69d0388 100755
--- a/examples/try12.py
+++ b/examples/try12.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
 
 import sys
 
diff --git a/examples/try13.py b/examples/try13.py
index 944648e..59bc1c6 100755
--- a/examples/try13.py
+++ b/examples/try13.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
 
 # import pyvips
 import logging
diff --git a/examples/try14.py b/examples/try14.py
index e4e103f..2ede1ce 100755
--- a/examples/try14.py
+++ b/examples/try14.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
 
 # import logging
 # logging.basicConfig(level = logging.DEBUG)
diff --git a/examples/try16.py b/examples/try16.py
index e3e6f4f..9fbd4c5 100755
--- a/examples/try16.py
+++ b/examples/try16.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
 
 import logging
 import sys
diff --git a/examples/try17.py b/examples/try17.py
index 33f7a74..711c4a1 100755
--- a/examples/try17.py
+++ b/examples/try17.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
 
 import sys
 
diff --git a/examples/try2.py b/examples/try2.py
index cc8e52d..8a1c2d5 100755
--- a/examples/try2.py
+++ b/examples/try2.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
 
 import logging
 import pyvips
diff --git a/examples/try3.py b/examples/try3.py
index 3a7ba96..4130ac9 100755
--- a/examples/try3.py
+++ b/examples/try3.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
 
 import sys
 import pyvips
diff --git a/examples/try4.py b/examples/try4.py
index 10b91dc..54034e9 100755
--- a/examples/try4.py
+++ b/examples/try4.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
 
 import sys
 import pyvips
diff --git a/examples/try5.py b/examples/try5.py
index 4ee0465..9a15e80 100755
--- a/examples/try5.py
+++ b/examples/try5.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
 
 import sys
 import pyvips
diff --git a/examples/try6.py b/examples/try6.py
index a09f26c..216aa05 100755
--- a/examples/try6.py
+++ b/examples/try6.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
 
 import sys
 import pyvips
diff --git a/examples/try7.py b/examples/try7.py
index e39bedc..3e279de 100755
--- a/examples/try7.py
+++ b/examples/try7.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
 
 import sys
 import pyvips
diff --git a/examples/try8.py b/examples/try8.py
index 1dd3f10..0a81fae 100755
--- a/examples/try8.py
+++ b/examples/try8.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
 
 # import logging
 # logging.basicConfig(level = logging.DEBUG)
diff --git a/examples/try9.py b/examples/try9.py
index 5eb4633..3737d1e 100755
--- a/examples/try9.py
+++ b/examples/try9.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
 
 import logging
 import pyvips
diff --git a/examples/watermark.py b/examples/watermark.py
index 80d0020..b01bf61 100755
--- a/examples/watermark.py
+++ b/examples/watermark.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
 
 import sys
 import pyvips
diff --git a/examples/watermark_context.py b/examples/watermark_context.py
index 4d47aa1..2510cf1 100755
--- a/examples/watermark_context.py
+++ b/examples/watermark_context.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
 
 # watermark an image, but do it in a context-sensitive way, so we will write
 # black if the area we are overlaying the text on is white, for example
diff --git a/examples/watermark_image.py b/examples/watermark_image.py
index 23f81c6..5e4de74 100755
--- a/examples/watermark_image.py
+++ b/examples/watermark_image.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
 
 import sys
 import pyvips