diff --git a/R/find_python.R b/R/find_python.R
index 62ed4a5..27ebd9d 100644
--- a/R/find_python.R
+++ b/R/find_python.R
@@ -109,8 +109,8 @@ find_python <- function(envname = NULL,
       options(rosettaPTF.python_path = PYEXE_PATH)
       options(rosettaPTF.arcpy_path = arcpy_path)
 
-      subres
-    }, silent = TRUE)
+      subres[grep("envs/arcgispro-py3", subres, fixed = TRUE)]
+    }, silent = FALSE)
 
   # User can/should use regular reticulate methods for this
 
diff --git a/R/install_rosetta.R b/R/install_rosetta.R
index bcd92c2..8f7f6fd 100644
--- a/R/install_rosetta.R
+++ b/R/install_rosetta.R
@@ -6,7 +6,10 @@
 #' @param method `"auto"`, `"virtualenv"`, or `"conda"`; Default: `"auto"`
 #' @param conda Default: `"auto"`
 #' @param pip _logical_. Use `pip` for package installation? Default: `TRUE`. This is only relevant when Conda environments are used, as otherwise packages will be installed from the Conda repositories.
+#' @param system _logical_. Default: `FALSE`. If `TRUE`, try installing to system (user) site library with `system()` and set reticulate to use system Python.
+#' @param user _logical_. Default: `FALSE`. Pass `--user` flag. This should only be done if other installation methods fail and it is impossible to use a virtual environment.
 #' @param arcpy_path Argument passed to `find_python()`. Path to ArcGIS Pro Python installation e.g. ``. Set as `NULL` (default) to prevent use of ArcGIS Pro instance.
+#'
 #' @details From `reticulate::py_install()`: On Linux and OS X the "virtualenv" method will be used by default ("conda" will be used if virtualenv isn't available). On Windows, the "conda" method is always used.
 #'
 #' @export
@@ -17,6 +20,8 @@ install_rosetta <- function(envname = NULL,
                             method = "auto",
                             conda = "auto",
                             pip = TRUE,
+                            user = FALSE,
+                            system = FALSE,
                             arcpy_path = getOption("rosettaPTF.arcpy_path")) {
 
   # use heuristics to find python executable
@@ -24,11 +29,23 @@ install_rosetta <- function(envname = NULL,
     find_python(envname = envname, arcpy_path = arcpy_path)
   }
 
-  # get rosetta-soil (and numpy if needed)
-  try(reticulate::py_install("rosetta-soil", envname = envname, method = method, conda = conda, pip = pip),
-      silent = TRUE)
+  if (!is.null(arcpy_path) && dir.exists(arcpy_path)) {
+    p <- find_python(envname = envname, arcpy_path = arcpy_path)
+    system <- TRUE
+  } else {
+    p <- Sys.which("python")
+  }
+
+  if (isFALSE(system)) {
+    # get rosetta-soil (and numpy if needed)
+    try(reticulate::py_install("rosetta-soil", envname = envname, method = method,
+                               conda = conda, pip = pip, pip_options = ifelse(user, "--user", "")), silent = TRUE)
+  } else {
+    reticulate::use_python(p, required = TRUE)
+    try(system(paste(shQuote(p), "-m pip install --upgrade --user rosetta-soil")), silent = TRUE)
+  }
 
-    # load modules globally in package (prevents having to reload rosettaPTF library in session)
+  # load modules globally in package (prevents having to reload rosettaPTF library in session)
   .loadModules()
 
 }
diff --git a/man/install_rosetta.Rd b/man/install_rosetta.Rd
index b0a4919..18bb5a5 100644
--- a/man/install_rosetta.Rd
+++ b/man/install_rosetta.Rd
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@ install_rosetta(
   method = "auto",
   conda = "auto",
   pip = TRUE,
+  user = FALSE,
+  system = FALSE,
   arcpy_path = getOption("rosettaPTF.arcpy_path")
 )
 }
@@ -21,6 +23,10 @@ install_rosetta(
 
 \item{pip}{\emph{logical}. Use \code{pip} for package installation? Default: \code{TRUE}. This is only relevant when Conda environments are used, as otherwise packages will be installed from the Conda repositories.}
 
+\item{user}{\emph{logical}. Default: \code{FALSE}. Pass \code{--user} flag. This should only be done if other installation methods fail and it is impossible to use a virtual environment.}
+
+\item{system}{\emph{logical}. Default: \code{FALSE}. If \code{TRUE}, try installing to system (user) site library with \code{system()} and set reticulate to use system Python.}
+
 \item{arcpy_path}{Argument passed to \code{find_python()}. Path to ArcGIS Pro Python installation e.g. ``. Set as \code{NULL} (default) to prevent use of ArcGIS Pro instance.}
 }
 \description{
diff --git a/tests/testthat/test-install_rosetta.R b/tests/testthat/test-install_rosetta.R
index acf1041..e0722e9 100644
--- a/tests/testthat/test-install_rosetta.R
+++ b/tests/testthat/test-install_rosetta.R
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ test_that("rosetta-soil module can be installed", {
   cat("\n\n")
 
   # use pip (if available) or use ArcGIS Pro Conda environment (if available)
-  res <- try(install_rosetta(pip = TRUE, arcpy_path = "C:/Program Files/ArcGIS/Pro/bin/Python/"))
+  res <- try(install_rosetta(system = TRUE, arcpy_path = "C:/Program Files/ArcGIS/Pro/bin/Python/"))
 
   if (inherits(res, 'try-error'))
     skip("Unable to install")