diff --git a/cli/cppcheckexecutor.cpp b/cli/cppcheckexecutor.cpp
index 69f3e842785..f724a54ef02 100644
--- a/cli/cppcheckexecutor.cpp
+++ b/cli/cppcheckexecutor.cpp
@@ -272,6 +272,16 @@ int CppCheckExecutor::check(int argc, const char* const argv[])
 
     settings.loadSummaries();
 
+    if (settings.addonPython.empty())
+    {
+        std::string detectedPythonExe = CppCheck::detectPython(executeCommand);
+        if (detectedPythonExe.empty()) {
+            //throw InternalError(nullptr, "Failed to auto detect python");
+            return EXIT_SUCCESS;
+        }
+        settings.addonPython = std::move(detectedPythonExe);
+    }
+
     mFiles = parser.getFiles();
     mFileSettings = parser.getFileSettings();
 
diff --git a/lib/cppcheck.cpp b/lib/cppcheck.cpp
index 0a8e721936b..48df3a46c1c 100644
--- a/lib/cppcheck.cpp
+++ b/lib/cppcheck.cpp
@@ -403,7 +403,7 @@ static void createDumpFile(const Settings& settings,
           << "/>\n";
 }
 
-static std::string detectPython(const CppCheck::ExecuteCmdFn &executeCommand)
+std::string CppCheck::detectPython(const CppCheck::ExecuteCmdFn &executeCommand)
 {
 #ifdef _WIN32
     const char *py_exes[] = { "python3.exe", "python.exe" };
@@ -445,15 +445,8 @@ static std::vector<picojson::value> executeAddon(const AddonInfo &addonInfo,
         pythonExe = addonInfo.executable;
     else if (!addonInfo.python.empty())
         pythonExe = cmdFileName(addonInfo.python);
-    else if (!defaultPythonExe.empty())
+    else
         pythonExe = cmdFileName(defaultPythonExe);
-    else {
-        // store in static variable so we only look this up once - TODO: do not cache globally
-        static const std::string detectedPythonExe = detectPython(executeCommand);
-        if (detectedPythonExe.empty())
-            throw InternalError(nullptr, "Failed to auto detect python");
-        pythonExe = detectedPythonExe;
-    }
 
     std::string args;
     if (addonInfo.executable.empty())
diff --git a/lib/cppcheck.h b/lib/cppcheck.h
index 94f2b721037..3e458dcf27f 100644
--- a/lib/cppcheck.h
+++ b/lib/cppcheck.h
@@ -142,6 +142,8 @@ class CPPCHECKLIB CppCheck {
     /** analyse whole program use .analyzeinfo files or ctuinfo string */
     unsigned int analyseWholeProgram(const std::string &buildDir, const std::list<FileWithDetails> &files, const std::list<FileSettings>& fileSettings, const std::string& ctuInfo);
 
+    static std::string detectPython(const CppCheck::ExecuteCmdFn &executeCommand);
+
 private:
     void purgedConfigurationMessage(const std::string &file, const std::string& configuration);