diff --git a/.authors.yml b/.authors.yml
index cb7137243b..f4b769483a 100644
--- a/.authors.yml
+++ b/.authors.yml
@@ -1202,7 +1202,7 @@
   alternate_emails:
   - clee@anaconda.com
 - name: Ken Odegard
-  num_commits: 212
+  num_commits: 213
   email: kodegard@anaconda.com
   first_commit: 2020-09-08 19:53:41
   github: kenodegard
@@ -1251,7 +1251,7 @@
   github: beeankha
   alternate_emails:
   - beeankha@gmail.com
-  num_commits: 36
+  num_commits: 34
   first_commit: 2022-01-19 16:40:06
 - name: Conda Bot
   email: 18747875+conda-bot@users.noreply.github.com
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 4eb0c36d08..a088d2f953 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,5 +1,17 @@
 [//]: # (current developments)
 
+## 24.7.1 (2024-07-30)
+
+### Bug fixes
+
+* Check for WSL existence before calling `os.stat`. (#5433 via #5434)
+
+### Contributors
+
+* @kenodegard
+
+
+
 ## 24.7.0 (2024-07-18)
 
 ### Enhancements
diff --git a/conda_build/build.py b/conda_build/build.py
index f6da01e4c9..63e4c0bdc9 100644
--- a/conda_build/build.py
+++ b/conda_build/build.py
@@ -1738,7 +1738,10 @@ def bundle_conda(
             if (
                 # WSL bash is always the same path, it is an alias to the default
                 # distribution as configured by the user
-                on_win and Path("C:\\Windows\\System32\\bash.exe").samefile(args[0])
+                on_win
+                # check if WSL is installed before calling Path.samefile/os.stat
+                and (wsl_bash := Path("C:\\Windows\\System32\\bash.exe")).exists()
+                and wsl_bash.samefile(args[0])
             ):
                 raise CondaBuildUserError(
                     "WSL bash.exe is not supported. Please use MSYS2 packages. Add "