diff --git a/packages/playwright-core/src/server/recorder/python.ts b/packages/playwright-core/src/server/recorder/python.ts
index caf74dd57d..d9ddc0fd9c 100644
--- a/packages/playwright-core/src/server/recorder/python.ts
+++ b/packages/playwright-core/src/server/recorder/python.ts
@@ -164,7 +164,7 @@ def browser_context_args(browser_context_args, playwright) {
     return {${contextOptions}}
 }
 ` : '';
-      formatter.add(`${options.deviceName ? 'import pytest\n' : ''}
+      formatter.add(`${options.deviceName ? 'import pytest\n' : ''}import re
 from playwright.sync_api import Page, expect
 ${fixture}
 
@@ -172,7 +172,7 @@ def test_example(page: Page) -> None {`);
     } else if (this._isAsync) {
       formatter.add(`
 import asyncio
-
+import re
 from playwright.async_api import Playwright, async_playwright, expect
 
 
@@ -181,6 +181,7 @@ async def run(playwright: Playwright) -> None {
     context = await browser.new_context(${formatContextOptions(options.contextOptions, options.deviceName)})`);
     } else {
       formatter.add(`
+import re
 from playwright.sync_api import Playwright, sync_playwright, expect
 
 
diff --git a/tests/library/inspector/cli-codegen-pytest.spec.ts b/tests/library/inspector/cli-codegen-pytest.spec.ts
index 42a1eefa2e..e1bd608ef5 100644
--- a/tests/library/inspector/cli-codegen-pytest.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/library/inspector/cli-codegen-pytest.spec.ts
@@ -22,7 +22,8 @@ const emptyHTML = new URL('file://' + path.join(__dirname, '..', '..', 'assets',
 
 test('should print the correct imports and context options', async ({ runCLI }) => {
   const cli = runCLI(['--target=python-pytest', emptyHTML]);
-  const expectedResult = `from playwright.sync_api import Page, expect
+  const expectedResult = `import re
+from playwright.sync_api import Page, expect
 
 
 def test_example(page: Page) -> None:`;
@@ -39,7 +40,7 @@ test('should print the correct context options when using a device and lang', as
   await cli.waitForCleanExit();
   const content = fs.readFileSync(tmpFile);
   expect(content.toString()).toBe(`import pytest
-
+import re
 from playwright.sync_api import Page, expect
 
 
@@ -60,7 +61,8 @@ test('should save the codegen output to a file if specified', async ({ runCLI },
   });
   await cli.waitForCleanExit();
   const content = fs.readFileSync(tmpFile);
-  expect(content.toString()).toBe(`from playwright.sync_api import Page, expect
+  expect(content.toString()).toBe(`import re
+from playwright.sync_api import Page, expect
 
 
 def test_example(page: Page) -> None:
diff --git a/tests/library/inspector/cli-codegen-python-async.spec.ts b/tests/library/inspector/cli-codegen-python-async.spec.ts
index d765d55d9c..02647c5508 100644
--- a/tests/library/inspector/cli-codegen-python-async.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/library/inspector/cli-codegen-python-async.spec.ts
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ const launchOptions = (channel: string) => {
 test('should print the correct imports and context options', async ({ browserName, channel, runCLI }) => {
   const cli = runCLI(['--target=python-async', emptyHTML]);
   const expectedResult = `import asyncio
-
+import re
 from playwright.async_api import Playwright, async_playwright, expect
 
 
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ async def run(playwright: Playwright) -> None:
 test('should print the correct context options for custom settings', async ({ browserName, channel, runCLI }) => {
   const cli = runCLI(['--color-scheme=light', '--target=python-async', emptyHTML]);
   const expectedResult = `import asyncio
-
+import re
 from playwright.async_api import Playwright, async_playwright, expect
 
 
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ test('should print the correct context options when using a device', async ({ br
 
   const cli = runCLI(['--device=Pixel 2', '--target=python-async', emptyHTML]);
   const expectedResult = `import asyncio
-
+import re
 from playwright.async_api import Playwright, async_playwright, expect
 
 
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ test('should print the correct context options when using a device and additiona
 
   const cli = runCLI(['--color-scheme=light', '--device=iPhone 11', '--target=python-async', emptyHTML]);
   const expectedResult = `import asyncio
-
+import re
 from playwright.async_api import Playwright, async_playwright, expect
 
 
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ test('should save the codegen output to a file if specified', async ({ browserNa
   await cli.waitForCleanExit();
   const content = fs.readFileSync(tmpFile);
   expect(content.toString()).toBe(`import asyncio
-
+import re
 from playwright.async_api import Playwright, async_playwright, expect
 
 
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ test('should print load/save storage_state', async ({ browserName, channel, runC
   await fs.promises.writeFile(loadFileName, JSON.stringify({ cookies: [], origins: [] }), 'utf8');
   const cli = runCLI([`--load-storage=${loadFileName}`, `--save-storage=${saveFileName}`, '--target=python-async', emptyHTML]);
   const expectedResult1 = `import asyncio
-
+import re
 from playwright.async_api import Playwright, async_playwright, expect
 
 
diff --git a/tests/library/inspector/cli-codegen-python.spec.ts b/tests/library/inspector/cli-codegen-python.spec.ts
index 5daa340a28..2bccbf3d93 100644
--- a/tests/library/inspector/cli-codegen-python.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/library/inspector/cli-codegen-python.spec.ts
@@ -25,7 +25,8 @@ const launchOptions = (channel: string) => {
 
 test('should print the correct imports and context options', async ({ runCLI, channel, browserName }) => {
   const cli = runCLI(['--target=python', emptyHTML]);
-  const expectedResult = `from playwright.sync_api import Playwright, sync_playwright, expect
+  const expectedResult = `import re
+from playwright.sync_api import Playwright, sync_playwright, expect
 
 
 def run(playwright: Playwright) -> None:
@@ -36,7 +37,8 @@ def run(playwright: Playwright) -> None:
 
 test('should print the correct context options for custom settings', async ({ runCLI, channel, browserName }) => {
   const cli = runCLI(['--color-scheme=light', '--target=python', emptyHTML]);
-  const expectedResult = `from playwright.sync_api import Playwright, sync_playwright, expect
+  const expectedResult = `import re
+from playwright.sync_api import Playwright, sync_playwright, expect
 
 
 def run(playwright: Playwright) -> None:
@@ -49,7 +51,8 @@ test('should print the correct context options when using a device', async ({ br
   test.skip(browserName !== 'chromium');
 
   const cli = runCLI(['--device=Pixel 2', '--target=python', emptyHTML]);
-  const expectedResult = `from playwright.sync_api import Playwright, sync_playwright, expect
+  const expectedResult = `import re
+from playwright.sync_api import Playwright, sync_playwright, expect
 
 
 def run(playwright: Playwright) -> None:
@@ -62,7 +65,8 @@ test('should print the correct context options when using a device and additiona
   test.skip(browserName !== 'webkit');
 
   const cli = runCLI(['--color-scheme=light', '--device=iPhone 11', '--target=python', emptyHTML]);
-  const expectedResult = `from playwright.sync_api import Playwright, sync_playwright, expect
+  const expectedResult = `import re
+from playwright.sync_api import Playwright, sync_playwright, expect
 
 
 def run(playwright: Playwright) -> None:
@@ -78,7 +82,8 @@ test('should save the codegen output to a file if specified', async ({ runCLI, c
   });
   await cli.waitForCleanExit();
   const content = fs.readFileSync(tmpFile);
-  expect(content.toString()).toBe(`from playwright.sync_api import Playwright, sync_playwright, expect
+  expect(content.toString()).toBe(`import re
+from playwright.sync_api import Playwright, sync_playwright, expect
 
 
 def run(playwright: Playwright) -> None:
@@ -103,7 +108,8 @@ test('should print load/save storage_state', async ({ runCLI, channel, browserNa
   const saveFileName = testInfo.outputPath('save.json');
   await fs.promises.writeFile(loadFileName, JSON.stringify({ cookies: [], origins: [] }), 'utf8');
   const cli = runCLI([`--load-storage=${loadFileName}`, `--save-storage=${saveFileName}`, '--target=python', emptyHTML]);
-  const expectedResult1 = `from playwright.sync_api import Playwright, sync_playwright, expect
+  const expectedResult1 = `import re
+from playwright.sync_api import Playwright, sync_playwright, expect
 
 
 def run(playwright: Playwright) -> None: