diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 46b0a397e..7f8667ed0 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 .vscode
+.env
 
 build
 build-mlir
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 36f060a38..6a682a986 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -54,6 +54,10 @@ export PYTHONPATH="$(realpath build/python):$(realpath build/python_native)"
 The `run_tests.py` script is special in that it sets up the PYTHONPATH
 correctly when run.
 
+Note that running the `cmake_configure.sh` script will also output a `.env`
+file in the workspace folder with the correct PYTHONPATH set. This allows
+tools like VSCode to work by default for debugging.
+
 ### Things to look at:
 
 * `python/npcomp/tracing/mlir_trace_test.py` : Simple test case of tracing a function to an MLIR module.
diff --git a/python/npcomp/exporter.py b/python/npcomp/exporter.py
index b0ad01513..ba08cff41 100644
--- a/python/npcomp/exporter.py
+++ b/python/npcomp/exporter.py
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ import inspect
 import numpy as np
 from typing import Optional
 
-from .types import *
+from npcomp.types import *
 
 __all__ = [
   "Exporter",
diff --git a/python/npcomp/tracing/mlir_trace.py b/python/npcomp/tracing/mlir_trace.py
index f77bce642..a37347a06 100644
--- a/python/npcomp/tracing/mlir_trace.py
+++ b/python/npcomp/tracing/mlir_trace.py
@@ -8,11 +8,11 @@ import numpy as np
 
 from _npcomp.mlir import ir
 
-from ..dialect import Numpy
-from .context import *
-from .emitters import *
-from ..exporter import *
-from ..types import *
+from npcomp.dialect import Numpy
+from npcomp.exporter import *
+from npcomp.types import *
+from npcomp.tracing.context import *
+from npcomp.tracing.emitters import *
 
 
 class ModuleBuilder:
diff --git a/python/npcomp/tracing/mlir_trace_test.py b/python/npcomp/tracing/mlir_trace_test.py
index 6ad348a3f..3accb73ea 100644
--- a/python/npcomp/tracing/mlir_trace_test.py
+++ b/python/npcomp/tracing/mlir_trace_test.py
@@ -2,10 +2,10 @@
 #  See https://llvm.org/LICENSE.txt for license information.
 #  SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0 WITH LLVM-exception
 
-from ..types import *
-from ..exporter import *
-from .mlir_trace import *
-from ..utils import test_utils
+from npcomp.types import *
+from npcomp.exporter import *
+from npcomp.tracing.mlir_trace import *
+from npcomp.utils import test_utils
 
 test_utils.start_filecheck_test()
 
diff --git a/tools/cmake_configure.sh b/tools/cmake_configure.sh
index b2c7c2d94..f81408dd8 100755
--- a/tools/cmake_configure.sh
+++ b/tools/cmake_configure.sh
@@ -22,6 +22,10 @@ if [ -z "$python_exe" ]; then
   exit 1
 fi
 
+# Write a .env file for python tooling.
+echo "Updating $td/.env file"
+echo "PYTHONPATH=\"$(realpath "$build_dir/python_native"):$(realpath "$build_dir/python")\"" > "$td/.env"
+
 set -x
 cmake -GNinja \
   "-H$td" \
diff --git a/tools/show_python_info.py b/tools/show_python_info.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..1450e9197
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/show_python_info.py
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+#!/usr/bin/python3
+# Simple script to run and verify python path and ability to find
+# modules. Run/debug this from your terminal or IDE to make sure things
+# are setup correctly.
+
+import sys
+print("PYTHONPATH =", sys.path)
+print("SYS VERSION =", sys.version)
+print("PYTHON EXE =", sys.executable)
+
+try:
+    import npcomp
+    print("Loaded npcomp module")
+except ImportError:
+    print("ERROR: Could not load the npcomp module.",
+          "Ensure that build/python is on your PYTHONPATH")
+
+try:
+    import _npcomp
+    print("Loaded (native) _npcomp module")
+except ImportError:
+    print("ERROR: Could not load the _npcomp native module.",
+          "Ensure that build/python_native is on your PYTHONPATH")