diff --git a/python/example/network_ring.py b/python/example/network_ring.py
old mode 100644
new mode 100755
index 49fe5a6932f7a393251cbebcd2c5303da041a4fc..5dad8be70edca8753aab35b6c0c39da45ce00578
--- a/python/example/network_ring.py
+++ b/python/example/network_ring.py
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+
 import arbor
 import pandas, seaborn
 from math import sqrt
diff --git a/python/example/single_cell_model.py b/python/example/single_cell_model.py
old mode 100644
new mode 100755
index d3f6bf9c3c04fbb063392b7aa95f72d2f4d38286..9d88ced09c3ab0bc3c23e6ed2078cdef5e17241d
--- a/python/example/single_cell_model.py
+++ b/python/example/single_cell_model.py
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+
 import arbor
 import pandas, seaborn # You may have to pip install these.
 
diff --git a/python/example/single_cell_multi_branch.py b/python/example/single_cell_multi_branch.py
old mode 100644
new mode 100755
index ce14a6bb573af75fdcc8ae61474b61995228294c..c9c4cb60881c9e5a2b7237f78b3bb868e366b43b
--- a/python/example/single_cell_multi_branch.py
+++ b/python/example/single_cell_multi_branch.py
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+
 import arbor
 import seaborn
 import pandas
diff --git a/python/example/single_cell_swc.py b/python/example/single_cell_swc.py
old mode 100644
new mode 100755
index fe72c3fa9b75d108fa78da65594ef4019196c428..bdfb718a9501069b2b69a373c8f2c06f2b1ddb65
--- a/python/example/single_cell_swc.py
+++ b/python/example/single_cell_swc.py
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+
 # NOTE: deprecating spherical roots changes the behavior of this model.
 # There is no soma, because only the root sample has tag 1, which will be
 # ignored as it is always the proximal end of any cable segment.