diff --git a/hack/boilerplate/boilerplate.py b/hack/boilerplate/boilerplate.py
index 506f8371..b616b0e4 100755
--- a/hack/boilerplate/boilerplate.py
+++ b/hack/boilerplate/boilerplate.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
 
 # Copyright 2015 The Kubernetes Authors.
 #
diff --git a/hack/boilerplate/boilerplate.py.txt b/hack/boilerplate/boilerplate.py.txt
index a2e72e59..9fdb989c 100644
--- a/hack/boilerplate/boilerplate.py.txt
+++ b/hack/boilerplate/boilerplate.py.txt
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
 
 # Copyright YEAR The Kubernetes Authors.
 #
diff --git a/hack/boilerplate/boilerplate_test.py b/hack/boilerplate/boilerplate_test.py
index 52579355..7c3efd8e 100644
--- a/hack/boilerplate/boilerplate_test.py
+++ b/hack/boilerplate/boilerplate_test.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
 
 # Copyright 2016 The Kubernetes Authors.
 #
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ class TestBoilerplate(unittest.TestCase):
     """
     Note: run this test from the inside the boilerplate directory.
 
-    $ python -m unittest boilerplate_test
+    $ python3 -m unittest boilerplate_test
     """
 
     def setUp(self):
diff --git a/hack/boilerplate/testdata/default/fail.py b/hack/boilerplate/testdata/default/fail.py
index 3c7033dd..8f6625c4 100644
--- a/hack/boilerplate/testdata/default/fail.py
+++ b/hack/boilerplate/testdata/default/fail.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
 
 # Copyright 2023 The Kubernetes Authors.
 #
@@ -14,20 +14,3 @@
 # See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 # limitations under the License.
 
-#!/usr/bin/env python
-
-# Copyright 2015 The Kubernetes Authors.
-#
-# failed
-#
-# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
-# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
-# You may obtain a copy of the License at
-#
-#     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
-#
-# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
-# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
-# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
-# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
-# limitations under the License.
diff --git a/hack/boilerplate/testdata/default/pass.py b/hack/boilerplate/testdata/default/pass.py
index 5b7ce29a..0a0f9c9d 100644
--- a/hack/boilerplate/testdata/default/pass.py
+++ b/hack/boilerplate/testdata/default/pass.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
 
 # Copyright 2015 The Kubernetes Authors.
 #
diff --git a/hack/boilerplate/testdata/with_config/fail.py b/hack/boilerplate/testdata/with_config/fail.py
index d4193660..df6cef91 100644
--- a/hack/boilerplate/testdata/with_config/fail.py
+++ b/hack/boilerplate/testdata/with_config/fail.py
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
 
-# Copyright 2023 The Kubernetes Authors.
+# Copyright 2024 The Kubernetes Authors.
 #
 # Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
 # you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -14,20 +14,3 @@
 # See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 # limitations under the License.
 
-#!/usr/bin/env python
-
-# Copyright 2015 The Kubernetes Authors.
-#
-# failed
-#
-# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
-# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
-# You may obtain a copy of the License at
-#
-#     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
-#
-# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
-# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
-# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
-# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
-# limitations under the License.
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/hack/boilerplate/testdata/with_config/pass.py b/hack/boilerplate/testdata/with_config/pass.py
index 21d005d8..f652062f 100644
--- a/hack/boilerplate/testdata/with_config/pass.py
+++ b/hack/boilerplate/testdata/with_config/pass.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
 
 # Copyright 2015 The Kubernetes Authors.
 #