diff --git a/GNUmakefile b/GNUmakefile
index 82d618b41..1b254b8d8 100644
--- a/GNUmakefile
+++ b/GNUmakefile
@@ -391,10 +391,10 @@ all: initialize init install prune-cluster## 	all
 
 .PHONY: venv
 venv:## 	create python3 virtualenv .venv
-	test -d .venv || $(PYTHON3) -m virtualenv .venv
+	test -d .venv || python3 -m virtualenv .venv || pipx install virtualenv && virtualenv .venv
 	( \
-	   source .venv/bin/activate; pip install -q -r requirements.txt; \
-	   python3 -m pip install -q omegaconf \
+	   source .venv/bin/activate; pip install -q -r requirements.txt --break-system-package; \
+	   pip install -q omegaconf --break-system-package \
 	   pip install -q --upgrade pip; \
 	);
 	@echo "To activate (venv)"
@@ -432,10 +432,11 @@ endif
 	@install -v -m=o+rwx $(PWD)/getcoins.py  /usr/local/bin/play-getcoins
 
 	#$(PYTHON3) -m pip install -q --upgrade pip 2>/dev/null
-	$(PYTHON3) -m pip install -q omegaconf 2>/dev/null
-	$(PYTHON3) -m pip install -q -r requirements.txt 2>/dev/null
+	$(PYTHON3) -m pip install -q omegaconf 2>/dev/null || $(MAKE) venv
+	$(PYTHON3) -m pip install -q -r requirements.txt 2>/dev/null || true
 	# pushd docs 2>/dev/null && $(PYTHON3) -m pip install -q -r requirements.txt && popd  2>/dev/null
-	$(PYTHON3) plebnet_generate.py TRIPLET=$(TRIPLET) services=$(SERVICES)
+	source .venv/bin/activate; $(PYTHON3) plebnet_generate.py TRIPLET=$(TRIPLET) services=$(SERVICES) || \
+	pip3 install omegaconf --break-system-packages
 
 	#pushd scripts 2>/dev/null; for string in *; do sudo chmod -R o+rwx /usr/local/bin/$$string; done; popd  2>/dev/null || echo
 
diff --git a/pip.conf b/pip.conf
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..8d6418e9b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pip.conf
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+user = true
+break-system-packages = true
diff --git a/scripts/initialize b/scripts/initialize
index a3ecc960e..aa95ded26 100755
--- a/scripts/initialize
+++ b/scripts/initialize
@@ -71,18 +71,21 @@ if hash brew 2>/dev/null; then
     if ! hash gawk 2>/dev/null; then
         brew install gawk
     fi
+    if ! hash pipx 2>/dev/null; then
+        brew install pipx
+    fi
     #brew install python@3.8
     if ! hash docker 2>/dev/null; then
 		rm -rf /usr/local/share/zsh/site-functions/_docker && \
 			rm -rf /usr/local/share/fish/vendor_completions.d/docker.fish && \
 			rm -rf /usr/local/etc/bash_completion.d/docker
 
-        brew install --cask docker
-        brew install docker
-        brew link docker
+        brew install --cask docker || true
+        brew install docker || true
+        brew link docker || true
     fi
     if ! hash docker-compose 2>/dev/null; then
-        brew install docker-compose
+        brew install docker-compose || true
     fi
     if ! hash mkdocs 2>/dev/null; then
         brew install mkdocs
@@ -90,18 +93,14 @@ if hash brew 2>/dev/null; then
     if ! hash jq 2>/dev/null; then
         brew install jq
     fi
-    brew install --quiet  --force python@3.9
-    curl -O https://bootstrap.pypa.io/get-pip.py
-    sudo -H python3 get-pip.py --no-warn-script-location
-
-    if [ -f "/usr/local/opt/python@3.9/bin/python3" ] && [ -f "/opt/homebrew/opt/python@3.9/bin/python3" ]; then
-        python39=/opt/homebrew/opt/python@3.9/bin/python3
-    else
-        python39=$(which python3)
-    fi
-    export python39
-    $python39 -m pip -q install --upgrade pip
-    $python39 -m pip -q install omegaconf
+    #brew install --quiet  --force python@3
+    ##curl -O https://bootstrap.pypa.io/get-pip.py
+    ##sudo -H python3 get-pip.py --no-warn-script-location
+
+    python3=$(which python3)
+    export python3
+    pipx ensurepath && \
+    pipx install omegaconf --include-deps  --force #|| $(which python3) -m pip -q install --upgrade pip && $(which python3) -m pip -q install omegaconf ||
     echo
 else
     /bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/master/install.sh)"
@@ -167,6 +166,7 @@ if [[ "$OSTYPE" == "linux"* ]]; then
     fi
 elif [[ "$OSTYPE" == "darwin"* ]]; then
     checkbrew
+    echo
 elif [[ "$OSTYPE" == "cygwin" ]]; then
     echo TODO add support for $OSTYPE
 elif [[ "$OSTYPE" == "msys" ]]; then