diff --git a/src/plugins/python/pipsupport.cpp b/src/plugins/python/pipsupport.cpp
index dd213248961..1ece0c534ca 100644
--- a/src/plugins/python/pipsupport.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/python/pipsupport.cpp
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 
 #include "pythonplugin.h"
 #include "pythontr.h"
+#include "pythonutils.h"
 
 #include <coreplugin/messagemanager.h>
 #include <coreplugin/progressmanager/progressmanager.h>
@@ -80,10 +81,12 @@ void PipInstallTask::run()
         }
     }
 
-    if (!m_targetPath.isEmpty())
-        arguments << "-t" << m_targetPath.toString();
-    else if (!QDir(m_python.parentDir().toString()).exists("activate"))
+    if (!m_targetPath.isEmpty()) {
+        QTC_ASSERT(m_targetPath.isSameDevice(m_python), emit finished(false); return);
+        arguments << "-t" << m_targetPath.path();
+    } else if (!isVenvPython(m_python)) {
         arguments << "--user"; // add --user to global pythons, but skip it for venv pythons
+    }
 
     m_process.setCommand({m_python, arguments});
     m_process.setTerminalMode(TerminalMode::Run);
diff --git a/src/plugins/python/pythonlanguageclient.cpp b/src/plugins/python/pythonlanguageclient.cpp
index a6bb9fcaa81..5a54a8c4b64 100644
--- a/src/plugins/python/pythonlanguageclient.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/python/pythonlanguageclient.cpp
@@ -74,12 +74,12 @@ static QHash<FilePath, PyLSClient*> &pythonClients()
 
 static FilePath pyLspPath(const FilePath &python)
 {
-    if (python.needsDevice())
-        return {};
     const QString version = pythonVersion(python);
-    if (version.isEmpty())
-        return {};
-    return Core::ICore::userResourcePath("pylsp") / FileUtils::fileSystemFriendlyName(version);
+    if (!python.needsDevice())
+        return Core::ICore::userResourcePath() / "pylsp" / version;
+    if (const expected_str<FilePath> tmpDir = python.tmpDir())
+        return *tmpDir / "qc-pylsp" / version;
+    return {};
 }
 
 static PythonLanguageServerState checkPythonLanguageServer(const FilePath &python)
@@ -113,20 +113,22 @@ public:
 protected:
     void startImpl() override
     {
-        if (!m_cmd.executable().needsDevice()) {
+        const FilePath python = m_cmd.executable();
+        Environment env = python.deviceEnvironment();
+        const FilePath lspPath = pyLspPath(python);
+        if (!lspPath.isEmpty() && lspPath.exists() && QTC_GUARD(lspPath.isSameDevice(python))) {
+            env.appendOrSet("PYTHONPATH",
+                            lspPath.path(),
+                            OsSpecificAspects::pathListSeparator(env.osType()));
+        }
+        if (!python.needsDevice()) {
             // todo check where to put this tempdir in remote setups
-            Environment env = Environment::systemEnvironment();
             env.appendOrSet("PYTHONPATH",
                             m_extraPythonPath.path().toString(),
                             OsSpecificAspects::pathListSeparator(env.osType()));
-            const FilePath lspPath = pyLspPath(m_cmd.executable());
-            if (!lspPath.isEmpty() && lspPath.exists()) {
-                env.appendOrSet("PYTHONPATH",
-                                pyLspPath(m_cmd.executable()).toString(),
-                                OsSpecificAspects::pathListSeparator(env.osType()));
-            }
-            setEnvironment(env);
         }
+        if (env.hasChanges())
+            setEnvironment(env);
         StdIOClientInterface::startImpl();
     }
 };