diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 948a8e1..941a838 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -34,6 +34,9 @@ server = [
   "matrix-nio>=0.24",
 ]
 
+# Minimal client — hbc_mini only, no external dependencies
+mini = []
+
 # Install both client and server
 all = [
   "hbd[client,server]",
diff --git a/scripts/hb_install.sh b/scripts/hb_install.sh
index a567556..3e9ced9 100755
--- a/scripts/hb_install.sh
+++ b/scripts/hb_install.sh
@@ -12,11 +12,14 @@
 set -e
 what=$1
 on_ha=0
+where=""
+venv=""
+[ "$2" = "HA" ] && on_ha=1
 [ -z "$what" ] && what="client"
 
 if [ -d /homeassistant ]; then
-    echo "cannot install in HA, running \"docker exec homeassistant $0 $@\""
-    docker exec homeassistant $0 $@
+    echo "HA, running \"docker exec homeassistant $0 $@\""
+    docker exec homeassistant $0 $@ HA
     rc=$?
     if [ $rc -ne 0 ]; then
         echo "Failed to install heartbeat in HA, please check the logs for more details"
@@ -24,11 +27,11 @@ if [ -d /homeassistant ]; then
     fi
     exit 0
 fi
-if [ -d /config ]; then
-    echo "Installing on HA"
+
+if [ $on_ha -eq 1 ]; then
+    echo "Installing under docker on Home Assistant OS, using /config/bin for executables and /config/venvs for virtual environments "
     where="/config/bin"
     venv="/config/venvs"
-    on_ha=1
 else
     if [ ! -d $HOME/.local/bin ] && [ ! -d $HOME/bin ]; then
         echo "No suitable bin directory found in PATH, please add either $HOME/.local/bin or $HOME/bin to your PATH"
@@ -43,18 +46,23 @@ else
         echo "No suitable bin directory found in PATH, please add either $HOME/.local/bin or $HOME/bin to your PATH"
         exit 1
     fi
-    venv="$HOME/venvs"
+    if [ "$what" = "mini" ]; then
+        venv=""
+    else
+        venv="$HOME/venvs"
+    fi
 fi
 
 echo "Installing heartbeat $what"
 
-if [ ! -d  $venv/hbd ]; then
+if [ "$venv" != "" ] && [ ! -d  $venv/hbd ]; then
     set +e
     python3 -m pip --version > /dev/null 2>&1 
     rc=$?
     set -e
+    arg=""
     if [ $rc -ne 0 ]; then
-        # truenas does not have pip installed by default, so we need to fetch get-pip.py and install pip
+        # some systems do not have pip installed by default, so we need to fetch get-pip.py and install pip
         echo "pip is not installed, fetching get-pip.py and installing pip"
         arg="--without-pip"
     fi
@@ -74,19 +82,32 @@ if [ ! -d  $venv/hbd ]; then
     deactivate
 fi
 
-. $venv/hbd/bin/activate
+if [ -z "$venv" ]; then
+    echo "Installing heartbeat $what globally"
+else
+    echo "Installing heartbeat $what in virtual environment $venv/hbd"
+    . $venv/hbd/bin/activate
+fi
 python3 -mpip install --upgrade --index-url https://git.wrede.ca/api/packages/andreas/pypi/simple/ --extra-index-url https://pypi.org/simple hbd[$what]
 
 if [ "$what" = "server" ]; then
     rm -f $where/hbd
     ln -sf $(which hbd) $where/hbd
     echo "hbd installed, you can run it with \"$where/hbd\" or \"hbd\" if $where is in your PATH"
-else
-    rm -f $where/hbc
-    ln -sf $(which hbc) $where/hbc
-    # rm -f $where/hb_install.sh
-    cp "$0" $where/hb_install.sh
-    chmod +x $where/hb_install.sh
+elif [ "$what" = "client" ]; then
+    hbc_path=$(which hbc)
+    if [ -z "$hbc_path" ]; then
+        echo "hbc not found in PATH, installation failed"
+        exit 1
+    fi
+    if [ "$hbc_path" != "$where/hbc" ]; then
+        rm -f $where/hbc
+        ln -sf $(which hbc) $where/hbc
+    fi
+    if [ "$0" != "$where/hb_install.sh" ]; then
+        cp "$0" $where/hb_install.sh
+        chmod +x $where/hb_install.sh
+    fi
     if [ $on_ha -eq 1 ]; then
         echo "restarting hbc "
         job=$(grep run_hbc configuration.yaml | sed 's/run_hbc://')
@@ -94,4 +115,10 @@ else
     else
         echo "hbc installed, you can run it with \"$where/hbc\" or \"hbc\" if $where is in your PATH"
     fi  
+elif [ "$what" = "mini" ]; then
+    hbc_path=$(which hbc_mini)
+    if [ "$hbc_path" != "$where/hbc_mini" ]; then
+       ln -sf $(which hbc) $where/hbc_mini
+    fi
+    echo "hbc mini installed, you can run it with \"$where/hbc_mini\" or \"hbc_mini\" if $where is in your PATH"
 fi
diff --git a/scripts/hbc_mini.py b/scripts/hbc_mini.py
index 1fdb94d..022eea1 100755
--- a/scripts/hbc_mini.py
+++ b/scripts/hbc_mini.py
@@ -875,7 +875,7 @@ async def _handle_update(conn: AsyncConnection):
     log.info("running installer: %s", installer)
     try:
         proc = await asyncio.create_subprocess_exec(
-            installer, "client",
+            installer, "miniclient",
             stdout=asyncio.subprocess.PIPE,
             stderr=asyncio.subprocess.STDOUT,
         )