diff --git a/install_for_python b/install_for_python
index be46749..1b93be4 100755
--- a/install_for_python
+++ b/install_for_python
@@ -2,8 +2,9 @@
 #
 # install_for_python.sh - Installs the Python-based radio automation stack.
 # Derives its service name from the directory it lives in, prompts for a
-# storage path (kept out of the boot drive), writes config.json, creates
-# the systemd unit, and sets up cron entries.
+# storage path (kept out of the boot drive), creates a virtualenv for
+# dependencies, writes config.json, creates the systemd unit, and sets up
+# cron entries.
 #
 set -euo pipefail
 
@@ -12,6 +13,8 @@ DIR_NAME="$(basename "$SCRIPT_DIR")"
 SERVICE_NAME="${DIR_NAME}"
 SYSTEMD_UNIT="/etc/systemd/system/${SERVICE_NAME}.service"
 CONFIG_FILE="${SCRIPT_DIR}/config.json"
+VENV_DIR="${SCRIPT_DIR}/.venv"
+PYBIN="${VENV_DIR}/bin/python3"
 
 echo "=== ${SERVICE_NAME} installer (Python) ==="
 echo "Install dir: ${SCRIPT_DIR}"
@@ -25,8 +28,8 @@ mkdir -p "${STORAGE_PATH}"/{music,podcasts,jingles,announcements,state,playlists
 chown -R liquidsoap:liquidsoap "${STORAGE_PATH}" 2>/dev/null || true
 
 # --- Collect Icecast credentials ------------------------------------------
-read -rp "Icecast source port [8000]: " IC_PORT
-IC_PORT="${IC_PORT:-8000}"
+read -rp "Icecast source port [7777]: " IC_PORT
+IC_PORT="${IC_PORT:-7777}"
 read -rp "Icecast mount [/radio.mp3]: " IC_MOUNT
 IC_MOUNT="${IC_MOUNT:-/radio.mp3}"
 read -rp "Icecast source username [sourceadmin]: " IC_USER
@@ -40,8 +43,12 @@ case "${GPODDER_ENABLE,,}" in
     y|yes)
         read -rp "gPodder host [https://gpodder.net]: " GP_HOST
         GP_HOST="${GP_HOST:-https://gpodder.net}"
+        # Strip trailing slash if the user typed one
+        GP_HOST="${GP_HOST%/}"
         read -rp "gPodder username: " GP_USER
+        GP_USER="${GP_USER:?gPodder username required}"
         read -rsp "gPodder password: " GP_PASS; echo
+        GP_PASS="${GP_PASS:?gPodder password required}"
         GP_JSON=$(jq -n --arg h "$GP_HOST" --arg u "$GP_USER" --arg p "$GP_PASS" \
             '{enable:true, host:$h, username:$u, password:$p}')
         ;;
@@ -67,9 +74,16 @@ EOF
 chmod 600 "$CONFIG_FILE"
 echo "Wrote ${CONFIG_FILE}"
 
-# --- Dependencies -----------------------------------------------------------
-echo "Installing Python dependencies..."
-pip3 install feedparser requests 2>/dev/null || pip install feedparser requests
+# --- Virtualenv + dependencies ----------------------------------------------
+echo "Creating virtual environment at ${VENV_DIR} ..."
+if [ ! -x "$PYBIN" ]; then
+    apt-get update -qq
+    apt-get install -y -qq python3-venv python3-pip jq >/dev/null
+fi
+python3 -m venv "$VENV_DIR"
+"$VENV_DIR/bin/pip" install --quiet --upgrade pip
+"$VENV_DIR/bin/pip" install --quiet feedparser requests
+echo "Installed feedparser + requests into ${VENV_DIR}"
 
 # --- Systemd unit ------------------------------------------------------------
 cat > "$SYSTEMD_UNIT" <<EOF
@@ -92,8 +106,8 @@ systemctl enable "${SERVICE_NAME}"
 echo "Enabled systemd unit: ${SERVICE_NAME}"
 
 # --- Cron --------------------------------------------------------------------
-CRON_FETCH="0 * * * * cd ${SCRIPT_DIR} && /usr/bin/python3 fetch_podcasts.py >> ${STORAGE_PATH}/logs/cron.log 2>&1"
-CRON_PLAYLISTS="30 * * * * cd ${SCRIPT_DIR} && /usr/bin/python3 update_playlists.py >> ${STORAGE_PATH}/logs/cron.log 2>&1"
+CRON_FETCH="0 * * * * cd ${SCRIPT_DIR} && ${PYBIN} fetch_podcasts.py >> ${STORAGE_PATH}/logs/cron.log 2>&1"
+CRON_PLAYLISTS="30 * * * * cd ${SCRIPT_DIR} && ${PYBIN} update_playlists.py >> ${STORAGE_PATH}/logs/cron.log 2>&1"
 
 (crontab -l 2>/dev/null | grep -v "fetch_podcasts.py\|update_playlists.py"; echo "$CRON_FETCH"; echo "$CRON_PLAYLISTS") | crontab -
 echo "Installed cron jobs:"
@@ -102,5 +116,7 @@ echo "  $CRON_PLAYLISTS"
 
 echo ""
 echo "=== Installation complete ==="
-echo "Storage root: ${STORAGE_PATH}"
-echo "Start with: systemctl start ${SERVICE_NAME}"
+echo "Storage root:   ${STORAGE_PATH}"
+echo "Virtualenv:     ${VENV_DIR}"
+echo "Start with:     systemctl start ${SERVICE_NAME}"
+echo "Test fetcher:   ${PYBIN} fetch_podcasts.py --list-shows"