diff --git a/home/bin/deboco b/home/bin/deboco
index 2669d17..618aa85 100755
--- a/home/bin/deboco
+++ b/home/bin/deboco
@@ -95,6 +95,32 @@ replace_in_file()
 	fi
 }
 
+is_version_greater_than()
+{
+	
+	first_value="${1}"
+	value_to_compare="${2}"
+
+	## Return False by default
+	return_is_version_greater_than="1"
+	
+	log 'debug' "is_version_greater_than - Is first value (${first_value}) greater than the second value (${value_to_compare})."
+	
+	if printf '%s\n' "${first_value}" "${value_to_compare}" | sort --check=quiet --version-sort; then
+		log 'debug' "${debug_prefix}is_version_greater_than - ${first_value} <= ${value_to_compare} ."
+		return_is_version_greater_than="1"
+	else
+		log 'debug' "${debug_prefix}is_version_greater_than - ${first_value} > ${value_to_compare} ."
+		return_is_version_greater_than="0"
+	fi
+
+	unset first_value
+	unset value_to_compare
+
+	return "${return_is_version_greater_than}"
+}
+
+
 controller__get_local_repos_path()
 {
 	local debops_controller_path="$1"
@@ -178,9 +204,18 @@ deboco__init()
 	if [ "$bug_3715_is_fixed" = 'false' ]
 	then
 		# make sure that the python version is at least 3.10 so that ansible>=2.15 is installed (as debops 3.1 requires ansible>=2.15)
+		local python_version=$(${PYTHON_PATH} --version | cut --delimiter=" " --fields=2 --)
+		log 'debug' "python_version=$python_version"
+
+		if is_version_greater_than "3.10" "${python_version}"
+		then
+			log 'error' "debops only works with python version 3.10 or more, and your version of python is $python_version"
+			return $RETURNCODE_ERROR
+		fi
+
 		replace_in_file "$debops_update_script_path" \
 			'virtualenv --quiet -- ' \
-			'/usr/bin/python3.10 -m venv '
+			"${PYTHON_PATH} -m venv "
 		if [ $? != "$RETURNCODE_SUCCESS" ]
 		then
 			return $RETURNCODE_ERROR
@@ -313,9 +348,13 @@ deboco_print_usage()
 	echo "$0 performs a debops controller operation"
 	echo 
 	echo "usage:"
-	echo " $0 <command>"
+	echo " $0 [options] <command>"
 	echo 
 	echo "where:"
+	echo "  [options] is a set of:"
+	echo "     --python-path <python-path>"
+	echo "        specifies the python executable to use (must be python 3.10 or above). Default is $DEFAULT_PYTHON_PATH"
+	echo 
 	echo "  <command> is one of:"
 	echo "     init <debobs-controller-path>"
 	echo "        creates a debops controller in <debobs-controller-path>"
@@ -332,21 +371,31 @@ deboco_print_usage()
 	echo "     configure_machine <debobs-controller-path> <machine-fqdn>"
 	echo "        configures the machine <machine-fqdn> using the debops controller in <debobs-controller-path>". Equivivalent to a init_machine followed by update_machine
 	echo 
+	echo "example:"
+	echo "     deboco --python-path /usr/bin/python3.10 init ~/work/debops/constrollers/alambix"
 }
 
 deboco()
 {
-	local command_name="$1"
-	shift
-	if type "deboco__${command_name}" >/dev/null 2>&1
-	then
-		"deboco__${command_name}" "$@"
-		return $?
-	else
-		log 'error' "unknown command: ${command_name}"
-		deboco_print_usage
-		return "$RETURNCODE_ERROR"
-	fi
+	PYTHON_PATH="$DEFAULT_PYTHON_PATH"
+	while true
+	do
+		local arg="$1"
+		shift
+		if [ "$arg" = '--python-path' ]
+		then
+			PYTHON_PATH="$1"
+			shift
+		elif type "deboco__${arg}" >/dev/null 2>&1
+		then
+			"deboco__${arg}" "$@"
+			return $?
+		else
+			log 'error' "unhandled argument: ${arg}"
+			deboco_print_usage
+			return "$RETURNCODE_ERROR"
+		fi
+	done
 }