diff --git a/homeassistant/__main__.py b/homeassistant/__main__.py
index 0a575afede0..6f937d6916e 100644
--- a/homeassistant/__main__.py
+++ b/homeassistant/__main__.py
@@ -7,6 +7,8 @@ import argparse
 import subprocess
 
 DEPENDENCIES = ['requests>=2.0', 'pyyaml>=3.11', 'pytz>=2015.2']
+IS_VIRTUAL = (getattr(sys, 'base_prefix', sys.prefix) != sys.prefix or
+              hasattr(sys, 'real_prefix'))
 
 
 def validate_python():
@@ -22,10 +24,13 @@ def validate_python():
 def install_package(package):
     """Install a package on PyPi. Accepts pip compatible package strings.
     Return boolean if install successfull."""
-    args = ['python3', '-m', 'pip', 'install', '--quiet', package]
-    if sys.base_prefix == sys.prefix:
+    args = [sys.executable, '-m', 'pip', 'install', '--quiet', package]
+    if not IS_VIRTUAL:
         args.append('--user')
-    return not subprocess.call(args)
+    try:
+        return 0 == subprocess.call(args)
+    except subprocess.SubprocessError:
+        return False
 
 
 def validate_dependencies():
diff --git a/homeassistant/util/environment.py b/homeassistant/util/environment.py
index 4227c485290..53364899030 100644
--- a/homeassistant/util/environment.py
+++ b/homeassistant/util/environment.py
@@ -5,4 +5,5 @@ import sys
 def is_virtual():
     """ Return if we run in a virtual environtment. """
     # Check supports venv && virtualenv
-    return sys.base_prefix != sys.prefix or hasattr(sys, 'real_prefix')
+    return (getattr(sys, 'base_prefix', sys.prefix) != sys.prefix or
+            hasattr(sys, 'real_prefix'))
diff --git a/homeassistant/util/package.py b/homeassistant/util/package.py
index ec49893177f..d220a5a7e61 100644
--- a/homeassistant/util/package.py
+++ b/homeassistant/util/package.py
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 """Helpers to install PyPi packages."""
 import subprocess
+import sys
 
 from . import environment as env
 
@@ -11,9 +12,12 @@ def install_package(package, upgrade=False, user=INSTALL_USER):
     """Install a package on PyPi. Accepts pip compatible package strings.
     Return boolean if install successfull."""
     # Not using 'import pip; pip.main([])' because it breaks the logger
-    args = ['python3', '-m', 'pip', 'install', '--quiet', package]
+    args = [sys.executable, '-m', 'pip', 'install', '--quiet', package]
     if upgrade:
         args.append('--upgrade')
     if user:
         args.append('--user')
-    return not subprocess.call(args)
+    try:
+        return 0 == subprocess.call(args)
+    except subprocess.SubprocessError:
+        return False