diff --git a/lib/common.sh b/lib/common.sh
index a80ad63..ea68faa 100644
--- a/lib/common.sh
+++ b/lib/common.sh
@@ -96,6 +96,41 @@ save_site_config() {
 # Load immediately so all service modules inherit the values when sourced
 load_site_config
 
+# ── OS detection ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+OS_DISTRO="unknown"
+OS_VERSION="unknown"
+OS_CODENAME="unknown"
+
+detect_os() {
+    [ -f /etc/os-release ] || return 0
+    local key val
+    while IFS='=' read -r key val; do
+        val="${val//\"/}"
+        case "$key" in
+            ID)              OS_DISTRO="$val"                                       ;;
+            VERSION_ID)      OS_VERSION="$val"                                      ;;
+            VERSION_CODENAME|UBUNTU_CODENAME)
+                [ "$OS_CODENAME" = "unknown" ] && OS_CODENAME="$val"               ;;
+        esac
+    done < /etc/os-release
+    export OS_DISTRO OS_VERSION OS_CODENAME
+}
+
+# Return 0 (true) if the detected Ubuntu version is >= the argument (e.g., "24.04").
+ubuntu_version_ge() {
+    [ "$OS_DISTRO" = "ubuntu" ] || return 1
+    local a="${OS_VERSION//./}" b="${1//./}"
+    [ "${a:-0}" -ge "${b:-0}" ] 2>/dev/null
+}
+
+# pip install --user as actual user.
+# Centralised so any future version-specific pip flags land in one place.
+pip_user_install() {
+    sudo -u "$ACTUAL_USER" pip3 install --user --quiet "$@"
+}
+
+detect_os
+
 # ── Pre-flight ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 require_root() {
     if [ "${EUID:-$(id -u)}" -ne 0 ]; then
diff --git a/services/sky-cam.sh b/services/sky-cam.sh
index 985c0cd..fa27fba 100644
--- a/services/sky-cam.sh
+++ b/services/sky-cam.sh
@@ -43,8 +43,7 @@ install_sky-cam() {
 
     # ── Python packages ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────
     log_info "Installing Python packages..."
-    local PIP="pip3 install --user --quiet"
-    sudo -u "$ACTUAL_USER" $PIP suntime pytz requests skyfield Pillow numpy scipy \
+    pip_user_install suntime pytz requests skyfield Pillow numpy scipy \
         || log_warning "Some pip packages may have failed — check output above"
     log_success "Python packages installed"
 
diff --git a/services/sync-cc.sh b/services/sync-cc.sh
index 7117be7..4b3592c 100644
--- a/services/sync-cc.sh
+++ b/services/sync-cc.sh
@@ -48,10 +48,8 @@ install_sync-cc() {
     log_success "System packages installed"
 
     # ── pip packages ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
-    # Install as the actual (non-root) user so packages land in ~/.local
     log_info "Installing Python packages (openai-whisper, ffsubsync)..."
-    local PIP_CMD="pip3 install --user --quiet openai-whisper ffsubsync"
-    if sudo -u "$ACTUAL_USER" $PIP_CMD; then
+    if pip_user_install openai-whisper ffsubsync; then
         log_success "Python packages installed"
     else
         log_warning "pip install reported errors — the tool may still work if packages were partially installed"
diff --git a/setup.sh b/setup.sh
index a4e83c1..dc082e7 100755
--- a/setup.sh
+++ b/setup.sh
@@ -153,12 +153,13 @@ fi
 require_root
 
 _VER="$(cat "$HERE/VERSION" 2>/dev/null || echo '?')"
+_OS_LINE="${OS_DISTRO^} ${OS_VERSION} (${OS_CODENAME})"
 
 if is_installed base; then
     # ── Re-run: base already present — skip required step ────────────────────
     echo ""
     echo "╔══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗"
-    echo "║  Ubuntu Post-Install  ·  v${_VER}"
+    echo "║  Ubuntu Post-Install  ·  v${_VER}  ·  ${_OS_LINE}"
     echo "╚══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝"
     echo ""
     echo "  Base packages already installed — skipping required setup."
@@ -168,9 +169,16 @@ else
     # ── First run: show required banner, confirm, install ────────────────────
     echo ""
     echo "╔══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗"
-    echo "║  Ubuntu Post-Install  ·  v${_VER}"
+    echo "║  Ubuntu Post-Install  ·  v${_VER}  ·  ${_OS_LINE}"
     echo "╚══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝"
     echo ""
+    if [ "$OS_DISTRO" != "ubuntu" ]; then
+        log_warning "Detected OS: ${_OS_LINE} — this script targets Ubuntu. Proceed with caution."
+        echo ""
+    elif ! ubuntu_version_ge "24.04"; then
+        log_warning "Ubuntu ${OS_VERSION} detected — tested on 24.04+. Some packages may differ."
+        echo ""
+    fi
     echo "REQUIRED (installed/verified first):"
     echo "  • Essential CLI packages: net-tools, git, curl, wget, htop, tree,"
     echo "    ncdu, zip/unzip, jq, rsync, and glow (markdown reader)"