diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 3788f47..8e893e7 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -11,9 +11,13 @@ install:
 	@echo "Installing required Python packages into ~/.venvs/pkgmgr..."
 	@~/.venvs/pkgmgr/bin/pip install --upgrade pip
 	@~/.venvs/pkgmgr/bin/pip install -r requirements.txt
+	@echo "Ensuring ~/.bashrc exists..."
+	@test -f ~/.bashrc || touch ~/.bashrc
 	@echo "Ensuring automatic activation of ~/.venvs/pkgmgr for this user..."
-	@grep -qxF 'if [ -d "$$HOME/.venvs/pkgmgr" ]; then export VIRTUAL_ENV="$$HOME/.venvs/pkgmgr"; export PATH="$$VIRTUAL_ENV/bin:$$PATH"; unset PYTHONHOME; fi' ~/.bashrc || echo 'if [ -d "$$HOME/.venvs/pkgmgr" ]; then export VIRTUAL_ENV="$$HOME/.venvs/pkgmgr"; export PATH="$$VIRTUAL_ENV/bin:$$PATH"; unset PYTHONHOME; fi' >> ~/.bashrc
-	@grep -qxF 'echo "Global Python virtual environment '\''~/.venvs/pkgmgr'\'' activated."' ~/.bashrc || echo 'echo "Global Python virtual environment '\''~/.venvs/pkgmgr'\'' activated."' >> ~/.bashrc
+	@grep -qxF 'if [ -d "$$HOME/.venvs/pkgmgr" ]; then export VIRTUAL_ENV="$$HOME/.venvs/pkgmgr"; export PATH="$$VIRTUAL_ENV/bin:$$PATH"; unset PYTHONHOME; fi' ~/.bashrc \
+		|| echo 'if [ -d "$$HOME/.venvs/pkgmgr" ]; then export VIRTUAL_ENV="$$HOME/.venvs/pkgmgr"; export PATH="$$VIRTUAL_ENV/bin:$$PATH"; unset PYTHONHOME; fi' >> ~/.bashrc
+	@grep -qxF 'echo "Global Python virtual environment '\''~/.venvs/pkgmgr'\'' activated."' ~/.bashrc \
+		|| echo 'echo "Global Python virtual environment '\''~/.venvs/pkgmgr'\'' activated."' >> ~/.bashrc
 	@echo "Installation complete. Please restart your shell (or 'exec bash') for the changes to take effect."
 
 uninstall: