diff --git a/plugins/available/virtualenv.plugin.bash b/plugins/available/virtualenv.plugin.bash
old mode 100644
new mode 100755
index 331f6080..b200901f
--- a/plugins/available/virtualenv.plugin.bash
+++ b/plugins/available/virtualenv.plugin.bash
@@ -5,22 +5,42 @@ about-plugin 'virtualenvwrapper helper functions'
 
 [[ `which virtualenvwrapper.sh` ]] && . virtualenvwrapper.sh
 
+# default python version - use python2 to pick 
+# up Homebrew version if applicable
+if hash brew 2>/dev/null && hash python2 2>/dev/null; then
+  PYVER="--python=`command -v python2`"
+fi
 
 function mkvenv {
   about 'create a new virtualenv for this directory'
   group 'virtualenv'
 
   cwd=`basename \`pwd\``
-  mkvirtualenv $cwd
+  mkvirtualenv $PYVER $cwd
 }
 
+function mkvenv3 {
+  about 'create a new virtualenv for this directory using python3'
+  group 'virtualenv'
+
+  PYVER="--python=`command -v python3`"
+  mkvenv
+}
 
 function mkvbranch {
   about 'create a new virtualenv for the current branch'
   group 'virtualenv'
 
   scm_prompt_info >/dev/null 2>&1
-  mkvirtualenv "$(basename `pwd`)@$SCM_BRANCH"
+  mkvirtualenv $PYVER "$(basename `pwd`)@$SCM_BRANCH"
+}
+
+function mkvbranch3 {
+  about 'create a new virtualenv for this directory using python3'
+  group 'virtualenv'
+
+  PYVER="--python=`command -v python3`"
+  mkvbranch
 }
 
 function wovbranch {
@@ -37,3 +57,18 @@ function wovenv {
 
   workon "$(basename `pwd`)"
 }
+
+function mkve {
+  about 'create a new virtualenv with the specified name'
+  group 'virtualenv'
+
+  mkvirtualenv $PYVER $1
+}
+
+function mkve3 {
+  about 'create a new virtualenv with the specified name using python3'
+  group 'virtualenv'
+  
+  PYVER="--python=`command -v python3`" 
+  mkve $1
+}