diff --git a/hblink3-docker-install.sh b/hblink3-docker-install.sh
index 5b5ba01..8e871f1 100755
--- a/hblink3-docker-install.sh
+++ b/hblink3-docker-install.sh
@@ -76,7 +76,12 @@ install_docker_and_dependencies() {
         
         # Install base dependencies
         apt-get update
-        apt-get install -y $DEP
+        # For Debian 12+, add python3-venv to dependencies (PEP 668 compliance)
+        if [ $version -ge 12 ]; then
+                apt-get install -y $DEP python3-venv
+        else
+                apt-get install -y $DEP
+        fi
         sleep 2
         
         # Remove old Docker versions if present
@@ -234,20 +239,18 @@ sleep 2
 pip_install() {
         local args="$@"
         if [ $VERSION -ge 12 ]; then
-                # For Debian 12+, try with --break-system-packages flag first
+                # For Debian 12+, use virtual environment (PEP 668 compliant)
                 echo "Installing Python packages for Debian $VERSION: $args"
-                if pip3 install --break-system-packages $args; then
+                if [ -z "$VIRTUAL_ENV" ]; then
+                        echo "ERROR: Virtual environment not activated"
+                        return 1
+                fi
+                if pip3 install $args; then
                         echo "Successfully installed: $args"
                         return 0
                 else
-                        echo "Warning: Installation with --break-system-packages failed, trying standard installation..."
-                        if pip3 install $args; then
-                                echo "Successfully installed: $args"
-                                return 0
-                        else
-                                echo "ERROR: Failed to install: $args"
-                                return 1
-                        fi
+                        echo "ERROR: Failed to install: $args"
+                        return 1
                 fi
         else
                 # For Debian 10-11, use standard pip installation
@@ -265,6 +268,39 @@ pip_install() {
 echo "Installing Python dependencies..."
 cd $HBMONDIR
 
+# For Debian 12+, create and use a virtual environment (modern PEP 668 compliant approach)
+if [ $VERSION -ge 12 ]; then
+        echo "Creating Python virtual environment for Debian $VERSION..."
+        # Install python3-venv if not already installed
+        if ! dpkg -l | grep -q python3-venv; then
+                echo "Installing python3-venv package..."
+                apt-get install -y python3-venv
+        fi
+        
+        # Create virtual environment
+        if [ ! -d "$HBMONDIR/venv" ]; then
+                python3 -m venv "$HBMONDIR/venv"
+                if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
+                        echo "ERROR: Failed to create virtual environment"
+                        exit 1
+                fi
+                echo "Virtual environment created successfully at $HBMONDIR/venv"
+        else
+                echo "Virtual environment already exists at $HBMONDIR/venv"
+        fi
+        
+        # Activate virtual environment
+        source "$HBMONDIR/venv/bin/activate"
+        if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
+                echo "ERROR: Failed to activate virtual environment"
+                exit 1
+        fi
+        echo "Virtual environment activated"
+        
+        # Upgrade pip in the virtual environment
+        pip3 install --upgrade pip
+fi
+
 # Install setuptools and wheel first
 if ! pip_install setuptools wheel; then
         echo "ERROR: Failed to install setuptools and wheel"
@@ -343,6 +379,18 @@ LOG_NAME        = 'hbmon.log'
 
 EOF
                 cp utils/hbmon.service /lib/systemd/system/
+                
+                # For Debian 12+, update the service file to use virtual environment
+                if [ $VERSION -ge 12 ]; then
+                        echo "Updating hbmon.service to use virtual environment..."
+                        # Update ExecStart to use venv Python
+                        sed -i "s|ExecStart=/usr/bin/python3|ExecStart=$HBMONDIR/venv/bin/python3|g" /lib/systemd/system/hbmon.service
+                        sed -i "s|ExecStart=python3|ExecStart=$HBMONDIR/venv/bin/python3|g" /lib/systemd/system/hbmon.service
+                        # Also handle cases where the path might be relative
+                        sed -i "s|ExecStart=\([^/]\)|ExecStart=$HBMONDIR/venv/bin/python3 \1|g" /lib/systemd/system/hbmon.service
+                        echo "Service file updated to use virtual environment"
+                fi
+                
                 cp utils/lastheard /etc/cron.daily/
                 chmod +x /etc/cron.daily/lastheard
 echo ""