diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 0f2e27cdec6fb3861b7348e2d93eddc31ae688c2..2ceef0fd3c230dd553cbae08d4420868b4b49f2e 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ install-confignator:
 	@echo "| installing confignator Python package |"
 	@echo "+---------------------------------------+"
 	    $(MAKE) build -C $(CURDIR)/Tst/confignator
-	    pip install -U $(CURDIR)/Tst/confignator/dist/*.whl
+	    if [ -z $VIRTUAL_ENV ]; then pip install --user -U $(CURDIR)/Tst/confignator/dist/*.whl; else pip install -U $(CURDIR)/Tst/confignator/dist/*.whl; fi
 	@echo "+--------------------------------------+"
 	@echo "| installed confignator Python package |"
 	@echo "+--------------------------------------+"