diff --git a/test/python-black-check.sh b/test/python-black-check.sh
index 93597db8..7a6fd0ab 100755
--- a/test/python-black-check.sh
+++ b/test/python-black-check.sh
@@ -7,4 +7,10 @@ fi
 
 cd "$MESON_SOURCE_ROOT" || exit 101
 
-black --check $(git ls-files "*.py" "*.py.in")
+files=$(git ls-files "*.py" "*.py.in")
+if [ -z "$files" ]; then
+	echo "Git didn't find any files"
+	exit 77
+fi
+
+black --check $files
diff --git a/test/python-ruff-check.sh b/test/python-ruff-check.sh
index f4c7ad16..0d726702 100755
--- a/test/python-ruff-check.sh
+++ b/test/python-ruff-check.sh
@@ -7,4 +7,10 @@ fi
 
 cd "$MESON_SOURCE_ROOT" || exit 101
 
-ruff check $(git ls-files "*.py" "*.py.in")
+files=$(git ls-files "*.py" "*.py.in")
+if [ -z "$files" ]; then
+	echo "Git didn't find any files"
+	exit 77
+fi
+
+ruff check $files
diff --git a/tools/python-black.sh b/tools/python-black.sh
index ada79792..e80a9d95 100755
--- a/tools/python-black.sh
+++ b/tools/python-black.sh
@@ -7,4 +7,10 @@ fi
 
 cd "$MESON_SOURCE_ROOT" || exit 101
 
-black $(git ls-files "*.py" "*.py.in")
+files=$(git ls-files "*.py" "*.py.in")
+if [ -z "$files" ]; then
+	echo "Git didn't find any files"
+	exit 77
+fi
+
+black $files
diff --git a/tools/python-ruff.sh b/tools/python-ruff.sh
index 98de940f..43885b4b 100755
--- a/tools/python-ruff.sh
+++ b/tools/python-ruff.sh
@@ -7,4 +7,10 @@ fi
 
 cd "$MESON_SOURCE_ROOT" || exit 101
 
-ruff check --fix $(git ls-files "*.py" "*.py.in")
+files=$(git ls-files "*.py" "*.py.in")
+if [ -z "$files" ]; then
+	echo "Git didn't find any files"
+	exit 77
+fi
+
+ruff check --fix $files