diff --git a/contrib/deterministic-build/find_restricted_dependencies.py b/contrib/deterministic-build/find_restricted_dependencies.py
index 1734d5750..e77e04c0e 100755
--- a/contrib/deterministic-build/find_restricted_dependencies.py
+++ b/contrib/deterministic-build/find_restricted_dependencies.py
@@ -1,7 +1,10 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env python3
 import sys
 
-import requests
+try:
+    import requests
+except ImportError as e:
+    sys.exit(f"Error: {str(e)}. Try 'sudo python3 -m pip install <module-name>'")
 
 
 def check_restriction(p, r):
diff --git a/contrib/make_locale b/contrib/make_locale
index 3c28d5702..ba95eb5ca 100755
--- a/contrib/make_locale
+++ b/contrib/make_locale
@@ -3,7 +3,12 @@ import os
 import subprocess
 import io
 import zipfile
-import requests
+import sys
+
+try:
+    import requests
+except ImportError as e:
+    sys.exit(f"Error: {str(e)}. Try 'sudo python3 -m pip install <module-name>'")
 
 os.chdir(os.path.dirname(os.path.realpath(__file__)))
 os.chdir('..')
diff --git a/electrum/gui/kivy/main_window.py b/electrum/gui/kivy/main_window.py
index b6b5cd484..07c3ee676 100644
--- a/electrum/gui/kivy/main_window.py
+++ b/electrum/gui/kivy/main_window.py
@@ -790,7 +790,7 @@ class ElectrumWindow(App):
             notification.notify('Electrum', message,
                             app_icon=icon, app_name='Electrum')
         except ImportError:
-            Logger.Error('Notification: needs plyer; `sudo pip install plyer`')
+            Logger.Error('Notification: needs plyer; `sudo python3 -m pip install plyer`')
 
     def on_pause(self):
         self.pause_time = time.time()
diff --git a/electrum/tests/test_bitcoin.py b/electrum/tests/test_bitcoin.py
index c19473f10..752e50173 100644
--- a/electrum/tests/test_bitcoin.py
+++ b/electrum/tests/test_bitcoin.py
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ from . import FAST_TESTS
 try:
     import ecdsa
 except ImportError:
-    sys.exit("Error: python-ecdsa does not seem to be installed. Try 'sudo pip install ecdsa'")
+    sys.exit("Error: python-ecdsa does not seem to be installed. Try 'sudo python3 -m pip install ecdsa'")
 
 
 def needs_test_with_all_ecc_implementations(func):
diff --git a/run_electrum b/run_electrum
index 2dd730d05..68040693a 100755
--- a/run_electrum
+++ b/run_electrum
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ def check_imports():
         import jsonrpclib
         import aiorpcx
     except ImportError as e:
-        sys.exit("Error: %s. Try 'sudo pip install <module-name>'"%str(e))
+        sys.exit(f"Error: {str(e)}. Try 'sudo python3 -m pip install <module-name>'")
     # the following imports are for pyinstaller
     from google.protobuf import descriptor
     from google.protobuf import message