diff --git a/src/scicookie/{{cookiecutter.project_slug}}/virtualenvs/pyenv/requirements.txt b/src/scicookie/{{cookiecutter.project_slug}}/virtualenvs/pyenv/requirements.txt
index c232a811..6d790b88 100644
--- a/src/scicookie/{{cookiecutter.project_slug}}/virtualenvs/pyenv/requirements.txt
+++ b/src/scicookie/{{cookiecutter.project_slug}}/virtualenvs/pyenv/requirements.txt
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-python < 3.11
 {%- if cookiecutter.build_system == "poetry" %}
 poetry
 {%- elif cookiecutter.build_system == "flit" %}
diff --git a/tests/smoke/base-template.sh b/tests/smoke/base-template.sh
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..faea2850
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/smoke/base-template.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+echo "-------------------- Smoke test for ${1} -------------------"
+set -ex
+
+export PATH_ORI=${PATH}
+export PWD_ORI=$(pwd)
+export PROJECT_PATH="$( cd "$( dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}" )" >/dev/null 2>&1 && cd ../.. && pwd )"
+
+export CONDA_PATH=$(ensureconda --conda --no-install | sed 's:/mamba$:/conda:')
+export MAMBA_PATH=$(ensureconda --mamba --no-install | sed 's:/conda$:/mamba:')
+
+if [[ ! -f "$MAMBA_PATH" ]]; then
+  echo "[EE] 'mamba' not found."
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+if [[ ! -f "$CONDA_PATH" ]]; then
+  echo "[EE] 'conda' not found."
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+export input_params="$1"
+
+if [[ "${input_params}" == *"use_conda=yes"* ]] || [[ "$input_params" == *"use_pyenv=yes"* ]]; then
+  echo "Virtual environment defined."
+else
+  export input_params="use_conda=yes ${input_params}"
+fi
+
+# NOTE: FOR NOW IT IS JUST USED BY POETRY
+export USE_PYENV=0
+
+if [[ "${input_params}" == *"use_makim=yes"* ]] || [[ "$input_params" == *"use_make=yes"* ]]; then
+  echo "Automation task tool defined."
+else
+  export input_params="use_makim=yes ${input_params}"
+fi
+
+if [[ "${input_params}" == *"use_pre_commit=yes"* ]]; then
+  echo "pre-commit tool defined."
+else
+  export input_params="use_pre_commit=yes ${input_params}"
+fi
+
+export OUTPUT_DIR="/tmp/osl"
+rm -rf "${OUTPUT_DIR}"
+mkdir -p "${OUTPUT_DIR}"
+
+cookiecutter --no-input \
+  --output-dir "${OUTPUT_DIR}" \
+  "${PROJECT_PATH}/src/scicookie" \
+  ${input_params}
+
+echo "${OUTPUT_DIR}"
+
+set +ex
diff --git a/tests/smoke/base.sh b/tests/smoke/base.sh
index 6de53d23..ae255109 100755
--- a/tests/smoke/base.sh
+++ b/tests/smoke/base.sh
@@ -1,58 +1,16 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 echo "-------------------- Smoke test for ${1} -------------------"
-set -ex
-
-PATH_ORI=${PATH}
-PWD_ORI=$(pwd)
-PROJECT_PATH="$( cd "$( dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}" )" >/dev/null 2>&1 && cd ../.. && pwd )"
-
-CONDA_PATH=$(ensureconda --conda --no-install | sed 's:/mamba$:/conda:')
-MAMBA_PATH=$(ensureconda --mamba --no-install | sed 's:/conda$:/mamba:')
-
-if [[ ! -f "$MAMBA_PATH" ]]; then
-  echo "[EE] 'mamba' not found."
-  exit 1
-fi
 
-if [[ ! -f "$CONDA_PATH" ]]; then
-  echo "[EE] 'conda' not found."
-  exit 1
-fi
-
-input_params="$1"
+export PROJECT_PATH="$( cd "$( dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}" )" >/dev/null 2>&1 && cd ../.. && pwd )"
 
-if [[ "${input_params}" == *"use_conda=yes"* ]] || [[ "$input_params" == *"use_pyenv=yes"* ]]; then
-  echo "Virtual environment defined."
-else
-  input_params="use_conda=yes ${input_params}"
-fi
+source $PROJECT_PATH/tests/smoke/base-template.sh ${1}
 
-if [[ "${input_params}" == *"use_makim=yes"* ]] || [[ "$input_params" == *"use_make=yes"* ]]; then
-  echo "Automation task tool defined."
-else
-  input_params="use_makim=yes ${input_params}"
-fi
-
-if [[ "${input_params}" == *"use_pre_commit=yes"* ]]; then
-  echo "pre-commit tool defined."
-else
-  input_params="use_pre_commit=yes ${input_params}"
-fi
+set -ex
 
 ENV_NAME=osl-python-package
 
-OUTPUT_DIR="/tmp/osl"
-rm -rf "${OUTPUT_DIR}"
-mkdir -p "${OUTPUT_DIR}"
-
-cookiecutter --no-input \
-  --output-dir "${OUTPUT_DIR}" \
-  "${PROJECT_PATH}/src/scicookie" \
-  ${input_params}
-
 cd "${OUTPUT_DIR}/${ENV_NAME}"
 
-
 if [[ "${input_params}" == *"use_conda=yes"* ]]; then
   set +x
   eval "$($CONDA_PATH shell.bash hook)"
@@ -62,10 +20,9 @@ if [[ "${input_params}" == *"use_conda=yes"* ]]; then
 fi
 
 if [[ "$input_params" == *"use_pyenv=yes"* ]]; then
-  set +x
   virtualenv "${ENV_NAME}"
   source "${ENV_NAME}/bin/activate"
-  set -x
+  pip install -r requirements.txt
 fi
 
 # remove any path to scicookie environment
@@ -127,3 +84,5 @@ export PATH=${PATH_ORI}
 
 echo '---------------------------- passed --------------------------'
 cd "${PWD_ORI}"
+
+set +ex
diff --git a/tests/smoke/virtual-envs.sh b/tests/smoke/virtual-envs.sh
index 8d8b6967..ce8053cf 100755
--- a/tests/smoke/virtual-envs.sh
+++ b/tests/smoke/virtual-envs.sh
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
-set -e
+set -ex
 
 SMOKE_DIR="$( cd "$( dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}" )" >/dev/null 2>&1 && pwd )"
 
-
 . ${SMOKE_DIR}/base.sh "use_conda=yes"
+. ${SMOKE_DIR}/base.sh "use_pyenv=yes"
+
+set +ex