diff --git a/python/mujoco/CMakeLists.txt b/python/mujoco/CMakeLists.txt
index 49caf532..8fffbcbd 100644
--- a/python/mujoco/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/python/mujoco/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -68,6 +68,19 @@ add_link_options("${MUJOCO_HARDEN_LINK_OPTIONS}")
 
 find_package(Python3 COMPONENTS Interpreter Development)
 
+# Detect free-threaded Python and enable Py_GIL_DISABLED.
+# This is needed because we have some STATIC libraries that do not automatically
+# get the Py_GIL_DISABLED macro definition through pybind11.
+execute_process(
+  COMMAND ${Python3_EXECUTABLE} -c "import sysconfig; print(sysconfig.get_config_var('Py_GIL_DISABLED') or 0)"
+  OUTPUT_VARIABLE PYTHON_GIL_DISABLED
+  OUTPUT_STRIP_TRAILING_WHITESPACE
+)
+if(PYTHON_GIL_DISABLED EQUAL "1")
+  message(STATUS "Free-threaded Python detected, enabling Py_GIL_DISABLED")
+  add_compile_definitions(Py_GIL_DISABLED)
+endif()
+
 include(FindOrFetch)
 
 # ==================== MUJOCO LIBRARY ==========================================
diff --git a/python/mujoco/gil_test.py b/python/mujoco/gil_test.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..8901eb73
--- /dev/null
+++ b/python/mujoco/gil_test.py
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+# Copyright 2026 DeepMind Technologies Limited
+#
+# 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.
+# ==============================================================================
+"""Tests for GIL-free operation under free-threaded Python."""
+
+import sys
+import sysconfig
+
+from absl.testing import absltest
+import mujoco  # pytype: disable=unused-import
+
+
+class GilDisabledTest(absltest.TestCase):
+
+  @absltest.skipUnless(
+      sysconfig.get_config_var('Py_GIL_DISABLED'),
+      'Not running under free-threaded Python',
+  )
+  def test_gil_is_disabled(self):
+    self.assertFalse(sys._is_gil_enabled())  # pylint: disable=protected-access
+
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+  absltest.main()