diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 683235b7f3..1cf27d07ae 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -83,6 +83,14 @@ END_UNRELEASED_TEMPLATE
   that are associated with the target's `srcs` are present.
   ([#3354](https://github.com/bazel-contrib/rules_python/issues/3354)).
 
+{#v1-8-3}
+## [1.8.3] - 2026-01-27
+
+{#v1-8-3-fixed}
+### Fixed
+* (pipstar) Fix whl extraction on Windows when bazelrc has XX flags.
+  Fixes [#3543](https://github.com/bazel-contrib/rules_python/issues/3543).
+
 {#v1-8-2}
 ## [1.8.2] - 2026-01-24
 
diff --git a/python/private/pypi/whl_extract.bzl b/python/private/pypi/whl_extract.bzl
index 6b2e0507ac..75c5686cb8 100644
--- a/python/private/pypi/whl_extract.bzl
+++ b/python/private/pypi/whl_extract.bzl
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ def whl_extract(rctx, *, whl_path, logger):
         whl_path: the whl path to extract.
         logger: The logger to use
     """
-    install_dir_path = whl_path.dirname.get_child("site-packages")
+    install_dir_path = rctx.path("site-packages")
     repo_utils.extract(
         rctx,
         archive = whl_path,
@@ -30,7 +30,6 @@ def whl_extract(rctx, *, whl_path, logger):
         dist_info_dir.get_child("INSTALLER"),
         "https://github.com/bazel-contrib/rules_python#pipstar",
     )
-    repo_root_dir = whl_path.dirname
 
     # Get the <prefix>.dist_info dir name
     data_dir = dist_info_dir.dirname.get_child(dist_info_dir.basename[:-len(".dist-info")] + ".data")
@@ -54,7 +53,7 @@ def whl_extract(rctx, *, whl_path, logger):
                 # The prefix does not exist in the wheel, we can continue
                 continue
 
-            for (src, dest) in merge_trees(src, repo_root_dir.get_child(dest_prefix)):
+            for (src, dest) in merge_trees(src, rctx.path(dest_prefix)):
                 logger.debug(lambda: "Renaming: {} -> {}".format(src, dest))
                 rctx.rename(src, dest)