diff --git a/.github/workflows/macos.yml b/.github/workflows/macos.yml
index e0c6efdc9..ec380186d 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/macos.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/macos.yml
@@ -16,12 +16,15 @@ jobs:
       HOMEBREW_NO_INSTALLED_DEPENDENTS_CHECK: TRUE
     steps:
     - uses: actions/checkout@v4
-    - name: install dependencies
+    - uses: actions/setup-python@v5
+      name: Install Python
+      with:
+        python-version: '3.x'
+    - name: install brew dependencies
       run: |
         set +e
         brew unlink gcc
         brew update
-        brew install --overwrite python
         brew install adios2
         brew install ccache
         brew install cmake
@@ -32,19 +35,15 @@ jobs:
         brew install ninja
         brew install open-mpi
         brew install pkg-config
-
-        python3 -m pip install --upgrade pip
-        python3 -m pip install --upgrade virtualenv
-
-        python3 -m venv py-venv
-        source py-venv/bin/activate
+        set -e
+    - name: install pip dependencies
+      run: |
         python3 -m pip install --upgrade pip
         python3 -m pip install --upgrade build packaging setuptools wheel pytest
         python3 -m pip install --upgrade -r requirements_mpi.txt
         python3 -m pip install --upgrade -r src/python/impactx/dashboard/requirements.txt
         python3 -m pip install --upgrade -r examples/requirements.txt
         python3 -m pip install --upgrade -r tests/python/requirements.txt
-        set -e
         python3 -m pip install --upgrade pipx
         python3 -m pipx install openPMD-validator
     - name: CCache Cache
@@ -65,13 +64,10 @@ jobs:
         export CCACHE_SLOPPINESS=time_macros
         ccache -z
 
-        source py-venv/bin/activate
-
         cmake -S . -B build            \
           -DCMAKE_VERBOSE_MAKEFILE=ON  \
           -DImpactX_FFT=ON             \
-          -DImpactX_PYTHON=ON          \
-          -DPython_EXECUTABLE=$(which python3)
+          -DImpactX_PYTHON=ON
         cmake --build build -j 3
 
         du -hs ~/Library/Caches/ccache
@@ -79,15 +75,12 @@ jobs:
 
     - name: run tests
       run: |
-        source py-venv/bin/activate
-
         ctest --test-dir build --output-on-failure -E pytest.AMReX
 
     - name: run installed python module
       run: |
         cmake --build build --target pip_install
 
-        source py-venv/bin/activate
         python3 examples/fodo/run_fodo.py
 
     - name: run installed app
diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index a552d5fd9..2ad0166d1 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -394,9 +394,9 @@ install(CODE "file(CREATE_LINK
 #
 if(ImpactX_PYTHON)
     set(PY_PIP_OPTIONS "-v" CACHE STRING
-        "Additional parameters to pass to `pip`")
+        "Additional parameters to pass to `pip` as ; separated list")
     set(PY_PIP_INSTALL_OPTIONS "" CACHE STRING
-        "Additional parameters to pass to `pip install`")
+        "Additional parameters to pass to `pip install` as ; separated list")
 
     # add a prefix to custom targets so we do not collide if used as a subproject
     if(CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR STREQUAL PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR)
@@ -412,7 +412,8 @@ if(ImpactX_PYTHON)
         ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -E rm -f -r impactx-whl
         COMMAND
             ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -E env PYIMPACTX_LIBDIR=$<TARGET_FILE_DIR:pyImpactX>
-                ${Python_EXECUTABLE} -m pip ${PY_PIP_OPTIONS} wheel --no-build-isolation --no-deps --wheel-dir=impactx-whl ${ImpactX_SOURCE_DIR}
+                ${Python_EXECUTABLE} -m pip ${PY_PIP_OPTIONS} wheel --no-build-isolation --no-deps --wheel-dir=impactx-whl "${ImpactX_SOURCE_DIR}"
+        COMMAND_EXPAND_LISTS VERBATIM
         WORKING_DIRECTORY
             ${ImpactX_BINARY_DIR}
         DEPENDS
@@ -427,6 +428,7 @@ if(ImpactX_PYTHON)
     endif()
     add_custom_target(${ImpactX_CUSTOM_TARGET_PREFIX}pip_install_requirements
         ${Python_EXECUTABLE} -m pip ${PY_PIP_OPTIONS} install ${PY_PIP_INSTALL_OPTIONS} -r "${ImpactX_SOURCE_DIR}/${pyImpactX_REQUIREMENT_FILE}"
+        COMMAND_EXPAND_LISTS VERBATIM
         WORKING_DIRECTORY
             ${ImpactX_BINARY_DIR}
     )
@@ -444,6 +446,7 @@ if(ImpactX_PYTHON)
     add_custom_target(${ImpactX_CUSTOM_TARGET_PREFIX}pip_install
         ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -E env IMPACTX_MPI=${ImpactX_MPI}
             ${Python_EXECUTABLE} -m pip ${PY_PIP_OPTIONS} install --force-reinstall --no-index --no-deps ${PY_PIP_INSTALL_OPTIONS} --find-links=impactx-whl impactx
+        COMMAND_EXPAND_LISTS VERBATIM
         WORKING_DIRECTORY
             ${ImpactX_BINARY_DIR}
         DEPENDS
@@ -456,6 +459,7 @@ if(ImpactX_PYTHON)
     add_custom_target(${ImpactX_CUSTOM_TARGET_PREFIX}pip_install_nodeps
         ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -E env IMPACTX_MPI=${ImpactX_MPI}
             ${Python_EXECUTABLE} -m pip ${PY_PIP_OPTIONS} install --force-reinstall --no-index --no-deps ${PY_PIP_INSTALL_OPTIONS} --find-links=impactx-whl impactx
+        COMMAND_EXPAND_LISTS VERBATIM
         WORKING_DIRECTORY
             ${ImpactX_BINARY_DIR}
         DEPENDS
diff --git a/docs/source/install/cmake.rst b/docs/source/install/cmake.rst
index 193fcbf2b..8fe5a85c7 100644
--- a/docs/source/install/cmake.rst
+++ b/docs/source/install/cmake.rst
@@ -112,8 +112,8 @@ CMake Option                    Default & Values                             Des
 ``ImpactX_PRECISION``           SINGLE/**DOUBLE**                            Floating point precision (single/double)
 ``ImpactX_PYTHON``              ON/**OFF**                                   Python bindings
 ``Python_EXECUTABLE``           (newest found)                               Path to Python executable
-``PY_PIP_OPTIONS``              ``-v``                                       Additional options for ``pip``, e.g., ``-vvv``
-``PY_PIP_INSTALL_OPTIONS``                                                   Additional options for ``pip install``, e.g., ``--user``
+``PY_PIP_OPTIONS``              ``-v``                                       Additional options for ``pip``, e.g., ``-vvv;-q``
+``PY_PIP_INSTALL_OPTIONS``                                                   Additional options for ``pip install``, e.g., ``--user;-q``
 =============================== ============================================ ===========================================================
 
 ImpactX can be configured in further detail with options from AMReX, which are `documented in the AMReX manual <https://amrex-codes.github.io/amrex/docs_html/BuildingAMReX.html#customization-options>`_.