diff --git a/iscc_sdk/ipfs.py b/iscc_sdk/ipfs.py
index dac908c..e2cf533 100644
--- a/iscc_sdk/ipfs.py
+++ b/iscc_sdk/ipfs.py
@@ -1,9 +1,7 @@
 """IPFS wrapper"""
 import sys
 from os.path import basename
-
 import iscc_sdk as idk
-import subprocess
 
 
 __all__ = [
@@ -24,11 +22,11 @@ def ipfs_cidv1(fp, wrap=False):
     :return: IPFS CIDv1 of the file
     :rtype: str
     """
-    cmd = [idk.ipfs_bin(), "add", "--only-hash", "--cid-version=1", "--offline", "--quieter"]
+    args = ["add", "--only-hash", "--cid-version=1", "--offline", "--quieter"]
     if wrap:
-        cmd.append("--wrap-with-directory")
-    cmd.append(fp)
-    result = subprocess.run(cmd, capture_output=True, check=True)
+        args.append("--wrap-with-directory")
+    args.append(fp)
+    result = idk.ipfs_run(args)
     cid = result.stdout.decode(sys.stdout.encoding).strip()
     if wrap:
         cid += f"/{basename(fp)}"
@@ -44,8 +42,7 @@ def ipfs_cidv1_base16(fp):
     :return: IPFS CIDv1 of the file in base16 (hex)
     :rtype: str
     """
-    cmd = [
-        idk.ipfs_bin(),
+    args = [
         "add",
         "--only-hash",
         "--cid-version=1",
@@ -54,6 +51,5 @@ def ipfs_cidv1_base16(fp):
         "--cid-base=base16",
         fp,
     ]
-
-    result = subprocess.run(cmd, capture_output=True, check=True)
+    result = idk.ipfs_run(args)
     return result.stdout.decode(sys.stdout.encoding).strip()
diff --git a/iscc_sdk/tools.py b/iscc_sdk/tools.py
index 1f95840..5875dc7 100644
--- a/iscc_sdk/tools.py
+++ b/iscc_sdk/tools.py
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 import zipfile
 from pathlib import Path
 from platform import system, architecture
+from typing import List
 from urllib.parse import urlparse
 from urllib.request import urlretrieve
 from blake3 import blake3
@@ -25,8 +26,7 @@
     "fpcalc_install",
     "exiv2_bin",
     "exiv2json_bin",
-    "ipfs_bin",
-    "ipfs_install",
+    "ipfs_run",
     "java_bin",
     "tika_bin",
 ]
@@ -196,6 +196,17 @@ def ipfs_version_info():  # pragma: no cover
         return "IPFS not installed"
 
 
+def ipfs_run(args: List[str]):
+    cmd = [ipfs_bin()] + args
+    try:
+        result = subprocess.run(cmd, capture_output=True, check=True)
+    except FileNotFoundError:  # pragma: no cover
+        print("IPFS not found - installing ...")
+        ipfs_install()
+        result = subprocess.run(cmd, capture_output=True, check=True)
+    return result
+
+
 ########################################################################################
 # Exiv2                                                                                #
 ########################################################################################
diff --git a/tests/test_ipfs.py b/tests/test_ipfs.py
index 915151b..ee0cfff 100644
--- a/tests/test_ipfs.py
+++ b/tests/test_ipfs.py
@@ -2,12 +2,10 @@
 
 
 def test_ipfs_cidv1(jpg_file):
-    idk.ipfs_install()
     assert idk.ipfs_cidv1(jpg_file) == "bafkreibpvnkawhupqto4zouc3nve5rjyahddf33agrksajkdos3q2ud4iq"
 
 
 def test_ipfs_cidv1_wrap(jpg_file):
-    idk.ipfs_install()
     assert (
         idk.ipfs_cidv1(jpg_file, wrap=True)
         == "bafybeicg5clgwhge6eyzzvuvtsch6eenqjhc2osm42qmuza6xbrgui3kpy/img.jpg"
@@ -15,7 +13,6 @@ def test_ipfs_cidv1_wrap(jpg_file):
 
 
 def test_ipfs_cidv1_base16(jpg_file):
-    idk.ipfs_install()
     assert (
         idk.ipfs_cidv1_base16(jpg_file)
         == "f015512202fab540b1e8f84ddccba82db6a4ec53801c632ef60345520254374b70d507c44"