diff --git a/template/python27-flask/Dockerfile b/template/python27-flask/Dockerfile
index 0c48134..2ecd335 100644
--- a/template/python27-flask/Dockerfile
+++ b/template/python27-flask/Dockerfile
@@ -14,7 +14,8 @@ RUN chown app /home/app
 
 USER app
 
-ENV PATH=$PATH:/home/app/.local/bin
+ENV PATH=$PATH:/home/app/python/bin
+ENV PYTHONPATH=/home/app/python
 
 WORKDIR /home/app/
 
@@ -28,7 +29,7 @@ RUN mkdir -p function
 RUN touch ./function/__init__.py
 WORKDIR /home/app/function/
 COPY --chown=app:app function/requirements.txt	.
-RUN pip install --no-cache-dir --user -r requirements.txt
+RUN pip install --no-cache-dir --target=/home/app/python -r requirements.txt
 
 WORKDIR /home/app/
 
diff --git a/template/python27-flask/index.py b/template/python27-flask/index.py
index 983ef34..24b11a4 100644
--- a/template/python27-flask/index.py
+++ b/template/python27-flask/index.py
@@ -1,3 +1,12 @@
+import site
+
+# The function's own dependencies are installed to a fixed path rather than
+# a $HOME-derived one, so that they are still found when the platform runs
+# the container as an arbitrary uid. Register it as a site directory rather
+# than relying on PYTHONPATH alone, so that any .pth files shipped by those
+# dependencies are processed as they would be in site-packages.
+site.addsitedir("/home/app/python")
+
 # Copyright (c) Alex Ellis 2017. All rights reserved.
 # Licensed under the MIT license. See LICENSE file in the project root for full license information.
 
diff --git a/template/python3-flask-debian/Dockerfile b/template/python3-flask-debian/Dockerfile
index 690723f..25e5538 100644
--- a/template/python3-flask-debian/Dockerfile
+++ b/template/python3-flask-debian/Dockerfile
@@ -23,7 +23,8 @@ RUN addgroup --system app \
 
 USER app
 
-ENV PATH=$PATH:/home/app/.local/bin
+ENV PATH=$PATH:/home/app/python/bin
+ENV PYTHONPATH=/home/app/python
 
 WORKDIR /home/app/
 
@@ -40,7 +41,7 @@ RUN mkdir -p function
 RUN touch ./function/__init__.py
 WORKDIR /home/app/function/
 COPY --chown=app:app function/requirements.txt	.
-RUN pip install --no-cache-dir --user -r requirements.txt
+RUN pip install --no-cache-dir --target=/home/app/python -r requirements.txt
 
 #install function code
 USER root
diff --git a/template/python3-flask-debian/index.py b/template/python3-flask-debian/index.py
index 48554ff..eadfdbd 100644
--- a/template/python3-flask-debian/index.py
+++ b/template/python3-flask-debian/index.py
@@ -1,3 +1,12 @@
+import site
+
+# The function's own dependencies are installed to a fixed path rather than
+# a $HOME-derived one, so that they are still found when the platform runs
+# the container as an arbitrary uid. Register it as a site directory rather
+# than relying on PYTHONPATH alone, so that any .pth files shipped by those
+# dependencies are processed as they would be in site-packages.
+site.addsitedir("/home/app/python")
+
 # Copyright (c) Alex Ellis 2017. All rights reserved.
 # Licensed under the MIT license. See LICENSE file in the project root for full license information.
 
diff --git a/template/python3-flask/Dockerfile b/template/python3-flask/Dockerfile
index 61d690d..34ad16d 100644
--- a/template/python3-flask/Dockerfile
+++ b/template/python3-flask/Dockerfile
@@ -20,7 +20,8 @@ RUN chown app /home/app
 
 USER app
 
-ENV PATH=$PATH:/home/app/.local/bin
+ENV PATH=$PATH:/home/app/python/bin
+ENV PYTHONPATH=/home/app/python
 
 WORKDIR /home/app/
 
@@ -37,7 +38,7 @@ RUN mkdir -p function
 RUN touch ./function/__init__.py
 WORKDIR /home/app/function/
 COPY --chown=app:app function/requirements.txt	.
-RUN pip install --no-cache-dir --user -r requirements.txt
+RUN pip install --no-cache-dir --target=/home/app/python -r requirements.txt
 
 #install function code
 USER root
diff --git a/template/python3-flask/index.py b/template/python3-flask/index.py
index 48554ff..eadfdbd 100644
--- a/template/python3-flask/index.py
+++ b/template/python3-flask/index.py
@@ -1,3 +1,12 @@
+import site
+
+# The function's own dependencies are installed to a fixed path rather than
+# a $HOME-derived one, so that they are still found when the platform runs
+# the container as an arbitrary uid. Register it as a site directory rather
+# than relying on PYTHONPATH alone, so that any .pth files shipped by those
+# dependencies are processed as they would be in site-packages.
+site.addsitedir("/home/app/python")
+
 # Copyright (c) Alex Ellis 2017. All rights reserved.
 # Licensed under the MIT license. See LICENSE file in the project root for full license information.
 
diff --git a/template/python3-http-debian/Dockerfile b/template/python3-http-debian/Dockerfile
index 13c3eb7..8c11689 100644
--- a/template/python3-http-debian/Dockerfile
+++ b/template/python3-http-debian/Dockerfile
@@ -23,7 +23,8 @@ RUN addgroup --system app \
 
 USER app
 
-ENV PATH=$PATH:/home/app/.local/bin
+ENV PATH=$PATH:/home/app/python/bin
+ENV PYTHONPATH=/home/app/python
 
 WORKDIR /home/app/
 
@@ -37,7 +38,7 @@ RUN mkdir -p function
 RUN touch ./function/__init__.py
 WORKDIR /home/app/function/
 COPY --chown=app:app function/requirements.txt	.
-RUN pip install --no-cache-dir --user -r requirements.txt
+RUN pip install --no-cache-dir --target=/home/app/python -r requirements.txt
 
 USER root
 COPY --chown=app:app function/   .
diff --git a/template/python3-http-debian/index.py b/template/python3-http-debian/index.py
index b241d9b..d08b3eb 100644
--- a/template/python3-http-debian/index.py
+++ b/template/python3-http-debian/index.py
@@ -1,4 +1,13 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env python
+import site
+
+# The function's own dependencies are installed to a fixed path rather than
+# a $HOME-derived one, so that they are still found when the platform runs
+# the container as an arbitrary uid. Register it as a site directory rather
+# than relying on PYTHONPATH alone, so that any .pth files shipped by those
+# dependencies are processed as they would be in site-packages.
+site.addsitedir("/home/app/python")
+
 from flask import Flask, request, jsonify
 from waitress import serve
 import os
diff --git a/template/python3-http/Dockerfile b/template/python3-http/Dockerfile
index beb7bb0..eaccb12 100644
--- a/template/python3-http/Dockerfile
+++ b/template/python3-http/Dockerfile
@@ -19,7 +19,8 @@ RUN chown app /home/app
 
 USER app
 
-ENV PATH=$PATH:/home/app/.local/bin
+ENV PATH=$PATH:/home/app/python/bin
+ENV PYTHONPATH=/home/app/python
 
 WORKDIR /home/app/
 
@@ -35,7 +36,7 @@ RUN mkdir -p function
 RUN touch ./function/__init__.py
 WORKDIR /home/app/function/
 COPY --chown=app:app function/requirements.txt	.
-RUN pip install --no-cache-dir --user -r requirements.txt
+RUN pip install --no-cache-dir --target=/home/app/python -r requirements.txt
 
 # install function code
 USER root
diff --git a/template/python3-http/index.py b/template/python3-http/index.py
index ac82b90..6ae9a2b 100644
--- a/template/python3-http/index.py
+++ b/template/python3-http/index.py
@@ -1,4 +1,13 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env python
+import site
+
+# The function's own dependencies are installed to a fixed path rather than
+# a $HOME-derived one, so that they are still found when the platform runs
+# the container as an arbitrary uid. Register it as a site directory rather
+# than relying on PYTHONPATH alone, so that any .pth files shipped by those
+# dependencies are processed as they would be in site-packages.
+site.addsitedir("/home/app/python")
+
 from flask import Flask, request, jsonify
 from waitress import serve
 import os