diff --git a/layers/+lang/python/config.el b/layers/+lang/python/config.el
index 43b65626a..a5b246812 100644
--- a/layers/+lang/python/config.el
+++ b/layers/+lang/python/config.el
@@ -33,6 +33,9 @@ and `lsp'.")
 (defvar python-tab-width 4
   "Tab width value for python buffers")
 
+(defvar python-spacemacs-indent-guess t
+  "If non-nil, try to guess correct indentation settings for python buffers on opening")
+
 (defvar python-auto-set-local-pyenv-version 'on-visit
   "Automatically set pyenv version from \".python-version\".
 
diff --git a/layers/+lang/python/funcs.el b/layers/+lang/python/funcs.el
index 42b3508be..6cf888d6f 100644
--- a/layers/+lang/python/funcs.el
+++ b/layers/+lang/python/funcs.el
@@ -91,6 +91,11 @@ when this mode is enabled since the minibuffer is cleared all the time."
   (setq mode-name "Python"
         tab-width python-tab-width
         fill-column python-fill-column)
+
+  ;; since we changed the tab-width we need to manually cally python-indent-guess-inden-offset herr
+  (when python-spacemacs-indent-guess
+    (python-indent-guess-indent-offset))
+
   (when (version< emacs-version "24.5")
     ;; auto-indent on colon doesn't work well with if statement
     ;; should be fixed in 24.5 and above
diff --git a/layers/+lang/python/packages.el b/layers/+lang/python/packages.el
index 0c7e33c48..b029bd310 100644
--- a/layers/+lang/python/packages.el
+++ b/layers/+lang/python/packages.el
@@ -334,6 +334,9 @@
         "sR" 'spacemacs/python-shell-send-region-switch
         "sr" 'python-shell-send-region)
 
+      ;; we call python-indent-guess-indent-offset ourselves so set to nil to avoid duplicate work
+      (setq-default python-indent-guess-indent-offset nil)
+
       ;; Emacs users won't need these key bindings
       ;; TODO: make these key bindings dynamic given the current style
       ;; Doing it only at init time won't update it if the user switches style