diff --git a/scripts/build.cmd b/scripts/build.cmd
index bf420da..a2ac2b0 100644
--- a/scripts/build.cmd
+++ b/scripts/build.cmd
@@ -8,10 +8,28 @@ cd /d "%~dp0\.."
 
 set VENV_DIR=.venv-platformio
 
+REM Prefer the "py" launcher (ships with official Python installer) which
+REM reliably picks Python 3, even if "python" on PATH points to an old
+REM Python 2.x install.
+where py >nul 2>nul
+if %errorlevel%==0 (
+    set PYTHON_CMD=py -3
+) else (
+    set PYTHON_CMD=python
+)
+
 if not exist "%VENV_DIR%" (
-    echo Creating local virtualenv in %VENV_DIR% ...
-    python -m venv "%VENV_DIR%"
-    "%VENV_DIR%\Scripts\pip.exe" install --upgrade pip
+    echo Creating local virtualenv in %VENV_DIR% using: %PYTHON_CMD%
+    %PYTHON_CMD% -m venv "%VENV_DIR%"
+    if not exist "%VENV_DIR%\Scripts\python.exe" (
+        echo.
+        echo ERROR: Could not create a Python 3 virtualenv.
+        echo Make sure Python 3 is installed from https://www.python.org/downloads/
+        echo and that "py -3 --version" or "python --version" reports Python 3.x
+        echo ^(your "python" currently points to: %PYTHON_CMD%^)
+        exit /b 1
+    )
+    "%VENV_DIR%\Scripts\python.exe" -m pip install --upgrade pip
     "%VENV_DIR%\Scripts\pip.exe" install platformio
 )
 
diff --git a/scripts/deploy.cmd b/scripts/deploy.cmd
index 958464c..5385751 100644
--- a/scripts/deploy.cmd
+++ b/scripts/deploy.cmd
@@ -12,10 +12,25 @@ cd /d "%~dp0\.."
 
 set VENV_DIR=.venv-platformio
 
+where py >nul 2>nul
+if %errorlevel%==0 (
+    set PYTHON_CMD=py -3
+) else (
+    set PYTHON_CMD=python
+)
+
 if not exist "%VENV_DIR%" (
-    echo Creating local virtualenv in %VENV_DIR% ...
-    python -m venv "%VENV_DIR%"
-    "%VENV_DIR%\Scripts\pip.exe" install --upgrade pip
+    echo Creating local virtualenv in %VENV_DIR% using: %PYTHON_CMD%
+    %PYTHON_CMD% -m venv "%VENV_DIR%"
+    if not exist "%VENV_DIR%\Scripts\python.exe" (
+        echo.
+        echo ERROR: Could not create a Python 3 virtualenv.
+        echo Make sure Python 3 is installed from https://www.python.org/downloads/
+        echo and that "py -3 --version" or "python --version" reports Python 3.x
+        echo ^(your "python" currently points to: %PYTHON_CMD%^)
+        exit /b 1
+    )
+    "%VENV_DIR%\Scripts\python.exe" -m pip install --upgrade pip
     "%VENV_DIR%\Scripts\pip.exe" install platformio
 )
 
diff --git a/scripts/deploy.sh b/scripts/deploy.sh
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..707bfcb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/deploy.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+set -euo pipefail
+
+# Build + flash the M5Stack Dashboard project via PlatformIO on Linux/macOS.
+#
+# Usage:
+#   ./scripts/deploy.sh                # auto-detect USB port
+#   ./scripts/deploy.sh /dev/ttyUSB0   # force a specific port
+#
+# This script intentionally does NOT open the serial monitor afterwards.
+# Uses the same local virtualenv as build.sh, created automatically if missing.
+
+cd "$(dirname "$0")/.."
+
+VENV_DIR=".venv-platformio"
+
+if [ ! -d "$VENV_DIR" ]; then
+    echo "Creating local virtualenv in $VENV_DIR ..."
+    python3 -m venv "$VENV_DIR"
+    "$VENV_DIR/bin/pip" install --upgrade pip
+    "$VENV_DIR/bin/pip" install platformio
+fi
+
+PIO="$VENV_DIR/bin/pio"
+
+if [ "$#" -ge 1 ]; then
+    PORT="$1"
+    echo "Using forced upload port: $PORT"
+    "$PIO" run --target upload --upload-port "$PORT"
+else
+    echo "Auto-detecting upload port..."
+    "$PIO" run --target upload
+fi
+
+echo "Build + flash complete."