diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 6581b90e7..5c9956758 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -15,6 +15,13 @@ a.out
 .cache/
 bin/
 
+# created at launch for TICI PYTHONPATH (PC uses editable installs via pyproject.toml)
+/msgq
+/opendbc
+/rednose
+/teleoprtc
+/tinygrad
+
 *.mp4
 *.dylib
 *.DSYM
diff --git a/SConstruct b/SConstruct
index 7e102add9..3ce34a86f 100644
--- a/SConstruct
+++ b/SConstruct
@@ -27,6 +27,21 @@ AddOption('--minimal',
           default=(not TICI and not release),
           help='the minimum build to run openpilot. no tests, tools, etc.')
 
+submodule_python_paths = [
+  Dir("#").abspath,
+  Dir("#msgq_repo").abspath,
+  Dir("#opendbc_repo").abspath,
+  Dir("#rednose_repo").abspath,
+  Dir("#teleoprtc_repo").abspath,
+  Dir("#tinygrad_repo").abspath,
+]
+for p in reversed(submodule_python_paths):
+  if p not in sys.path:
+    sys.path.insert(0, p)
+
+if external_pythonpath := os.environ.get("PYTHONPATH"):
+  submodule_python_paths += [p for p in external_pythonpath.split(os.pathsep) if p and p not in submodule_python_paths]
+
 # Detect platform
 arch = subprocess.check_output(["uname", "-m"], encoding='utf8').rstrip()
 if platform.system() == "Darwin":
@@ -106,7 +121,7 @@ def _libflags(target, source, env, for_signature):
 env = Environment(
   ENV={
     "PATH": os.environ['PATH'],
-    "PYTHONPATH": Dir("#").abspath,
+    "PYTHONPATH": os.pathsep.join(submodule_python_paths),
     "ACADOS_SOURCE_DIR": acados.DIR,
     "ACADOS_PYTHON_INTERFACE_PATH": acados.TEMPLATE_DIR,
     "TERA_PATH": acados.TERA_PATH
@@ -128,7 +143,10 @@ env = Environment(
   CXXFLAGS=["-std=c++1z"],
   CPPPATH=[
     "#openpilot",
-    "#msgq",
+    "#msgq_repo",            # #include "msgq/..."
+    "#opendbc_repo",         # #include "opendbc/..."
+    "#rednose_repo",         # #include "rednose/..."
+    "#rednose_repo/rednose", # #include "logger/..." (rednose package root)
     "#openpilot/cereal/gen/cpp",
     acados_include_dirs,
     [x.INCLUDE_DIR for x in pkgs],
@@ -138,13 +156,13 @@ env = Environment(
     "#openpilot/common",
     "#msgq_repo",
     "#openpilot/selfdrive/pandad",
-    "#rednose/helpers",
+    "#rednose_repo/rednose/helpers",
     [x.LIB_DIR for x in pkgs],
   ],
   RPATH=[ffmpeg.LIB_DIR] if ffmpeg_shared else [],
   CYTHONCFILESUFFIX=".cpp",
   COMPILATIONDB_USE_ABSPATH=True,
-  REDNOSE_ROOT="#",
+  REDNOSE_ROOT="#rednose_repo",
   tools=["default", "cython", "compilation_db", "rednose_filter"],
   toolpath=["#site_scons/site_tools", "#rednose_repo/site_scons/site_tools"],
 )
@@ -249,7 +267,7 @@ Export('messaging')
 SConscript(['panda/SConscript'])
 
 # Build rednose library
-SConscript(['rednose/SConscript'])
+SConscript(['rednose_repo/rednose/SConscript'])
 
 # Build system services
 SConscript([
diff --git a/launch_chffrplus.sh b/launch_chffrplus.sh
index 17a765e07..4f767f3b1 100755
--- a/launch_chffrplus.sh
+++ b/launch_chffrplus.sh
@@ -70,6 +70,14 @@ function launch {
   ln -sfn $(pwd) /data/pythonpath
   export PYTHONPATH="$PWD"
 
+  # submodule package symlinks for PYTHONPATH imports on device.
+  # on PC these come from editable installs via pyproject.toml / uv.
+  ln -sfn msgq_repo/msgq msgq
+  ln -sfn opendbc_repo/opendbc opendbc
+  ln -sfn rednose_repo/rednose rednose
+  ln -sfn teleoprtc_repo/teleoprtc teleoprtc
+  ln -sfn tinygrad_repo/tinygrad tinygrad
+
   # hardware specific init
   if [ -f /AGNOS ]; then
     agnos_init
diff --git a/msgq b/msgq
deleted file mode 120000
index df09146f6..000000000
--- a/msgq
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-msgq_repo/msgq
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/opendbc b/opendbc
deleted file mode 120000
index 7cd9a5bd1..000000000
--- a/opendbc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-opendbc_repo/opendbc
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/openpilot/selfdrive/test/setup_device_ci.sh b/openpilot/selfdrive/test/setup_device_ci.sh
index 3fe353e72..d458e047a 100755
--- a/openpilot/selfdrive/test/setup_device_ci.sh
+++ b/openpilot/selfdrive/test/setup_device_ci.sh
@@ -124,4 +124,12 @@ else
   safe_checkout
 fi
 
+# submodule package symlinks for PYTHONPATH imports on device (same as launch_chffrplus.sh)
+cd $TEST_DIR
+ln -sfn msgq_repo/msgq msgq
+ln -sfn opendbc_repo/opendbc opendbc
+ln -sfn rednose_repo/rednose rednose
+ln -sfn teleoprtc_repo/teleoprtc teleoprtc
+ln -sfn tinygrad_repo/tinygrad tinygrad
+
 echo "$TEST_DIR synced with $GIT_COMMIT, t=$SECONDS"
diff --git a/openpilot/tools/cabana/SConscript b/openpilot/tools/cabana/SConscript
index ec94fec26..26c20ddba 100644
--- a/openpilot/tools/cabana/SConscript
+++ b/openpilot/tools/cabana/SConscript
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ cabana_env['CPPPATH'] += [libusb.INCLUDE_DIR]
 cabana_env['LIBPATH'] += [libusb.LIB_DIR]
 
 cabana_libs = [cereal, messaging, visionipc, replay_lib] + ffmpeg_libs + ['bz2', 'zstd', 'usb-1.0'] + base_libs
-opendbc_path = '-DOPENDBC_FILE_PATH=\'"%s"\'' % (cabana_env.Dir("../../../opendbc/dbc").abspath)
+opendbc_path = '-DOPENDBC_FILE_PATH=\'"%s"\'' % (cabana_env.Dir("../../../opendbc_repo/opendbc/dbc").abspath)
 cabana_env['CXXFLAGS'] += [opendbc_path]
 
 def write_assets_qrc(target, source, env):
diff --git a/openpilot/tools/jotpluggler/layout.cc b/openpilot/tools/jotpluggler/layout.cc
index dc7109808..6bc3a6168 100644
--- a/openpilot/tools/jotpluggler/layout.cc
+++ b/openpilot/tools/jotpluggler/layout.cc
@@ -276,7 +276,7 @@ std::string default_dbc_template() {
 DbcEditorSource resolve_dbc_editor_source(const std::string &dbc_name) {
   const fs::path generated_dbc_dir = repo_root() / "openpilot" / "tools" / "jotpluggler" / "generated_dbcs";
   const std::array<DbcEditorSource, 2> candidates = {{
-    {.path = repo_root() / "opendbc" / "dbc" / (dbc_name + ".dbc"), .kind = DbcEditorState::SourceKind::Opendbc},
+    {.path = repo_root() / "opendbc_repo" / "opendbc" / "dbc" / (dbc_name + ".dbc"), .kind = DbcEditorState::SourceKind::Opendbc},
     {.path = generated_dbc_dir / (dbc_name + ".dbc"), .kind = DbcEditorState::SourceKind::Generated},
   }};
   for (const DbcEditorSource &candidate : candidates) {
diff --git a/openpilot/tools/jotpluggler/sketch_layout.cc b/openpilot/tools/jotpluggler/sketch_layout.cc
index fcc4b183d..ee307653f 100644
--- a/openpilot/tools/jotpluggler/sketch_layout.cc
+++ b/openpilot/tools/jotpluggler/sketch_layout.cc
@@ -385,7 +385,7 @@ std::string detect_dbc_for_fingerprint(std::string_view car_fingerprint) {
 std::vector<std::string> available_dbc_names_impl() {
   std::set<std::string> names;
   for (const fs::path &dbc_dir : {
-         repo_root() / "opendbc" / "dbc",
+         repo_root() / "opendbc_repo" / "opendbc" / "dbc",
          repo_root() / "openpilot" / "tools" / "jotpluggler" / "generated_dbcs",
        }) {
     if (fs::exists(dbc_dir) && fs::is_directory(dbc_dir)) {
@@ -407,7 +407,7 @@ std::vector<std::string> available_dbc_names_impl() {
 
 fs::path resolve_dbc_path(const std::string &dbc_name) {
   for (const fs::path &candidate : {
-         repo_root() / "opendbc" / "dbc" / (dbc_name + ".dbc"),
+         repo_root() / "opendbc_repo" / "opendbc" / "dbc" / (dbc_name + ".dbc"),
          repo_root() / "openpilot" / "tools" / "jotpluggler" / "generated_dbcs" / (dbc_name + ".dbc"),
        }) {
     if (fs::exists(candidate)) return candidate;
diff --git a/rednose b/rednose
deleted file mode 120000
index 674cfec35..000000000
--- a/rednose
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-rednose_repo/rednose
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/teleoprtc b/teleoprtc
deleted file mode 120000
index 3d3dbc8de..000000000
--- a/teleoprtc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-teleoprtc_repo/teleoprtc
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tinygrad b/tinygrad
deleted file mode 120000
index cb003823c..000000000
--- a/tinygrad
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-tinygrad_repo/tinygrad
\ No newline at end of file