diff --git a/installer/install.sh.in b/installer/install.sh.in
index 6757447416..1b8ba92ea6 100755
--- a/installer/install.sh.in
+++ b/installer/install.sh.in
@@ -13,12 +13,16 @@ MAXIMUM_PYTHON_VERSION=3.11.100
 PYTHON=""
 for candidate in python3.11 python3.10 python3.9 python3 python ; do
     if ppath=`which $candidate`; then
+        # when using `pyenv`, the executable for an inactive Python version will exist but will not be operational
+        # we check that this found executable can actually run
+        if [ $($candidate --version &>/dev/null; echo ${PIPESTATUS}) -gt 0 ]; then continue; fi
+
         python_version=$($ppath -V | awk '{ print $2 }')
         if [ $(version $python_version) -ge $(version "$MINIMUM_PYTHON_VERSION") ]; then
-	    if [ $(version $python_version) -le $(version "$MAXIMUM_PYTHON_VERSION") ]; then
-		PYTHON=$ppath
-		break
-	    fi
+            if [ $(version $python_version) -le $(version "$MAXIMUM_PYTHON_VERSION") ]; then
+                PYTHON=$ppath
+                break
+            fi
         fi
     fi
 done