diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 215d6c85..7d2edc55 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 .venv/
 venv/
 ENV/
+!scripts/env/
 apps/desktop/.venv/
 apps/web/node_modules/
 apps/audio-insights/node_modules/
diff --git a/scripts/env/select_venv.py b/scripts/env/select_venv.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..8a44bcaa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/env/select_venv.py
@@ -0,0 +1,72 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+"""
+Resolve / create the per-platform virtual environment for hidock-next.
+Restores the missing scripts/env/select_venv.py that setup-windows.bat and
+setup-unix.sh expect (issue #41).
+
+Contract:
+  --print           Print the absolute venv path if it exists; otherwise no output.
+  --ensure          Create the venv at the platform-appropriate path if missing.
+  --ensure --print  Create (if missing) and print the absolute path.
+"""
+
+import argparse
+import os
+import sys
+import venv
+from pathlib import Path
+
+
+def venv_dir_name() -> str:
+    if sys.platform.startswith("win"):
+        return ".venv.win"
+    if sys.platform == "darwin":
+        return ".venv.mac"
+    return ".venv.nix"
+
+
+def repo_root() -> Path:
+    return Path(__file__).resolve().parent.parent.parent
+
+
+def venv_path() -> Path:
+    return repo_root() / venv_dir_name()
+
+
+def venv_python(path: Path) -> Path:
+    if sys.platform.startswith("win"):
+        return path / "Scripts" / "python.exe"
+    return path / "bin" / "python"
+
+
+def ensure(path: Path) -> None:
+    if venv_python(path).exists():
+        return
+    path.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+    builder = venv.EnvBuilder(with_pip=True, clear=False, upgrade=False, symlinks=(os.name != "nt"))
+    builder.create(str(path))
+
+
+def main() -> int:
+    parser = argparse.ArgumentParser()
+    parser.add_argument("--ensure", action="store_true")
+    parser.add_argument("--print", dest="do_print", action="store_true")
+    args = parser.parse_args()
+
+    path = venv_path()
+
+    if args.ensure:
+        try:
+            ensure(path)
+        except Exception as exc:
+            print(f"ERROR: failed to create venv at {path}: {exc}", file=sys.stderr)
+            return 1
+
+    if args.do_print and venv_python(path).exists():
+        print(str(path))
+
+    return 0
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    raise SystemExit(main())