diff --git a/core/wasm_shims/pythonplugin/python_plugin.cc b/core/wasm_shims/pythonplugin/python_plugin.cc
index 65c559c..72b9ddc 100644
--- a/core/wasm_shims/pythonplugin/python_plugin.cc
+++ b/core/wasm_shims/pythonplugin/python_plugin.cc
@@ -42,8 +42,7 @@ int PythonPlugin::configure(const char *iniFilename, const char *section) {
     }
     std::fclose(file);
 
-    status = PLUGIN_OK;
-    return status;
+    return initialize();
 }
 
 bool PythonPlugin::is_callable(const char *, const char *) {
@@ -86,6 +85,10 @@ int PythonPlugin::call_method(boost::python::object, boost::python::object &retv
 }
 
 int PythonPlugin::initialize() {
-    status = PLUGIN_OK;
+    // LinuxCNC source basis: src/emc/pythonplugin/python_plugin.cc sets
+    // PLUGIN_PYTHON_NOT_INITIALIZED when initialize() runs without an active
+    // Python runtime. Browser-safe probes keep Python execution disabled.
+    error_msg = "python disabled in wasm-safe probe";
+    status = PLUGIN_PYTHON_NOT_INITIALIZED;
     return status;
 }
diff --git a/core/wasm_shims/pythonplugin/python_plugin_probe_main.cc b/core/wasm_shims/pythonplugin/python_plugin_probe_main.cc
index 72fb00c..119f99e 100644
--- a/core/wasm_shims/pythonplugin/python_plugin_probe_main.cc
+++ b/core/wasm_shims/pythonplugin/python_plugin_probe_main.cc
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 #include "pythonplugin/python_plugin.hh"
 
+#include <cstdio>
+
 // LinuxCNC source basis: src/emc/pythonplugin/python_plugin.cc and
 // python_plugin.hh define the PythonPlugin API exercised by this link probe.
 int main() {
@@ -26,6 +28,29 @@ int main() {
     if (plugin->run_string("noop", retval, false) != PLUGIN_OK) {
         return 3;
     }
+    const char *ini = "/tmp/cnc_sim_python_plugin_probe.ini";
+    {
+        FILE *file = std::fopen(ini, "w");
+        if (!file) {
+            return 16;
+        }
+        std::fputs("[PYTHON]\n", file);
+        std::fclose(file);
+    }
+    if (plugin->configure(ini, "PYTHON") != PLUGIN_PYTHON_NOT_INITIALIZED) {
+        std::remove(ini);
+        return 17;
+    }
+    std::remove(ini);
+    if (plugin->call(nullptr, "noop", boost::python::object(), boost::python::object(), retval) != PLUGIN_PYTHON_NOT_INITIALIZED) {
+        return 18;
+    }
+    if (plugin->call_method(boost::python::object(), retval) != PLUGIN_PYTHON_NOT_INITIALIZED) {
+        return 19;
+    }
+    if (plugin->run_string("noop", retval, false) != PLUGIN_OK) {
+        return 20;
+    }
     if (plugin->call(nullptr, nullptr, boost::python::object(), boost::python::object(), retval) != PLUGIN_NO_CALLABLE) {
         return 8;
     }