diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index cb7a8cd..09c2531 100755
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -24,10 +24,14 @@
 TOP         ?= .
 MAKEDIR     ?= $(TOP)/makefiles
 
-export SHELL := bash -e -o pipefail
-
 $(if $(VERBOSE),$(eval export VERBOSE=$(VERBOSE))) # visible to include(s)
 
+##--------------------------
+## Enable setup.py debugging
+##--------------------------
+# https://docs.python.org/3/distutils/setupscript.html#debugging-the-setup-script
+export DISTUTILS_DEBUG := 1
+
 # Makefile for voltha-protos
 default: test
 
@@ -40,13 +44,6 @@
 ##--------------------##
 include $(MAKEDIR)/include.mk
 
-# tool containers
-VOLTHA_TOOLS_VERSION ?= 2.4.0
-
-PROTOC    = docker run --rm --user $$(id -u):$$(id -g) -v ${CURDIR}:/app $(shell test -t 0 && echo "-it") voltha/voltha-ci-tools:${VOLTHA_TOOLS_VERSION}-protoc protoc
-PROTOC_SH = docker run --rm --user $$(id -u):$$(id -g) -v ${CURDIR}:/go/src/github.com/opencord/voltha-protos/v5 $(shell test -t 0 && echo "-it") --workdir=/go/src/github.com/opencord/voltha-protos/v5 voltha/voltha-ci-tools:${VOLTHA_TOOLS_VERSION}-protoc sh -c
-GO        = docker run --rm --user $$(id -u):$$(id -g) -v ${CURDIR}:/app $(shell test -t 0 && echo "-it") -v gocache:/.cache -v gocache-${VOLTHA_TOOLS_VERSION}:/go/pkg voltha/voltha-ci-tools:${VOLTHA_TOOLS_VERSION}-golang go
-
 # Function to extract the last path component from go_package line in .proto files
 define go_package_path
 $(shell grep go_package $(1) | sed -n 's/.*\/\(.*\)";/\1/p')
@@ -67,6 +64,7 @@
 PROTO_GO_PB:= $(foreach f, $(PROTO_FILES), $(patsubst protos/voltha_protos/%.proto,$(PROTO_GO_DEST_DIR)/$(call go_package_path,$(f))/%.pb.go,$(f)))
 PROTO_JAVA_DEST_DIR := java
 PROTO_JAVA_PB := $(foreach f, $(PROTO_FILES), $(patsubst protos/voltha_protos/%.proto,$(PROTO_JAVA_DEST_DIR)/$(call java_package_path,$(f))/%.pb.java,$(f))) 
+
 # Force pb file to be regenrated every time.  Otherwise the make process assumes generated version is still valid
 .PHONY: voltha.pb
 
@@ -83,22 +81,21 @@
 
 test: python-test go-test java-test
 
-clean: python-clean java-clean go-clean
+clean :: python-clean java-clean go-clean
 
-sterile: clean
-	$(RM) -r venv_protos
+sterile :: clean
 
 # Python targets
 python-protos: $(PROTO_PYTHON_PB2)
 
-venv_protos:
-	virtualenv -p python3 $@;\
-	source ./$@/bin/activate ; set -u ;\
-	pip install grpcio==1.39.0 protobuf==3.17.3 grpcio-tools==1.39.0 googleapis-common-protos==1.52.0
-
-$(PROTO_PYTHON_DEST_DIR)/%_pb2.py: protos/voltha_protos/%.proto Makefile venv_protos
-	source ./venv_protos/bin/activate ; set -u ;\
-	python -m grpc_tools.protoc \
+## -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+## -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+$(PROTO_PYTHON_DEST_DIR)/%_pb2.py: \
+  protos/voltha_protos/%.proto \
+  Makefile \
+  $(venv-activate-script)
+	$(activate) \
+	&& python -m grpc_tools.protoc \
     -I protos \
     --python_out=python \
     --grpc_python_out=python \
@@ -128,28 +125,43 @@
     python/__pycache__ \
     python/test/__pycache__ \
     python/voltha_protos.egg-info \
-    venv_protos \
+    "$(venv-abs-path)" \
     $(PROTO_PYTHON_DEST_DIR)/*.desc \
     $(PROTO_PYTHON_PB2) \
     $(PROTO_PYTHON_PB2_GRPC)
 
-# Why are we removing files under revision control ?
+## -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+## Intent: Revert go to a clean state.
+##   o TODO - go/ directory should not be placed under revision control.
+##   o Build should retrieve versioned sources from a central repo.
+## -----------------------------------------------------------------------
 go-clean:
 	$(RM) -r go/*
+	$(HIDE)$(MAKE) repair
+
+## -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+## Intent: Recover from a fatal failed build state:
+##   o build removes go/ while regenerating prototypes.
+##   o chicken-n-egg: make becomes fatal when go/ is removed and proten fails.
+## -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+repair:
+	/usr/bin/env git checkout go
+
 
 # Go targets
 go-protos: voltha.pb
 	@echo "Creating *.go.pb files"
-	@${PROTOC_SH} " \
+	@echo "PROTO_FILES=$(PROTO_FILES)" | tr ' ' '\n'
+	${PROTOC_SH} $(quote-double)\
 	  set -e -o pipefail; \
 	  for x in ${PROTO_FILES}; do \
 	    echo \$$x; \
 	    protoc --go_out=plugins=grpc:/go/src -I protos \$$x; \
-	  done"
+	  done$(quote-double)
 
 voltha.pb:
 	@echo "Creating $@"
-	@${PROTOC} -I protos -I protos/google/api \
+	$(HIDE)${PROTOC} -I protos -I protos/google/api \
 	  --include_imports --include_source_info \
 	  --descriptor_set_out=$@ \
 	  ${PROTO_FILES}
@@ -162,12 +174,12 @@
 java-protos: voltha.pb
 	@echo "Creating java files"
 	@mkdir -p java_temp/src/main/java
-	@${PROTOC_SH} " \
+	@${PROTOC_SH} $(quote-double) \
 	  set -e -o pipefail; \
 	  for x in ${PROTO_FILES}; do \
 	    echo \$$x; \
 	    protoc --java_out=java_temp/src/main/java -I protos \$$x; \
-	  done"
+	  done$(quote-double)
         #TODO: generate directly to the final location
 	@mkdir -p java
 	cp -r java_temp/src/main/java/* java/
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 9ab210c..e3d9da0 100755
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -103,3 +103,6 @@
 
 `make test` will run tests for all languages.
 
+## Miscelaneous
+
+[setup.py](https://gerrit.opencord.org/plugins/gitiles/voltha-protos/+/refs/heads/master/setup.py) and [requirements.txt](https://gerrit.opencord.org/plugins/gitiles/voltha-protos/+/refs/heads/master/requirements.txt) versions must be kept in sync.
diff --git a/makefiles/consts.mk b/makefiles/consts.mk
index ce71862..c1306ac 100644
--- a/makefiles/consts.mk
+++ b/makefiles/consts.mk
@@ -13,25 +13,42 @@
 # WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
 # See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 # limitations under the License.
+#
+# SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2022-2023 Open Networking Foundation (ONF) and the ONF Contributors
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+# -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+# https://gerrit.opencord.org/plugins/gitiles/onf-make
+# ONF.makefile.version = 1.0
 # -----------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 $(if $(DEBUG),$(warning ENTER))
 
-##-------------------##
-##---]  GLOBALS  [---##
-##-------------------##
-null         :=#
-space        :=$(null) $(null)
-dot          :=.
+# include makefiles/constants.mk
+export dot          :=.
+export null         :=#
+export space        := $(null) $(null)
+export quote-single := $(null)'$(null)#'
+export quote-double := $(null)"$(null)#"
 
-HIDE         ?=@
+# [DEBUG] make {target} HIDE=
+HIDE        ?= @
 
-env-clean   = /usr/bin/env --ignore-environment
-xargs-n1    := xargs -0 -t -n1 --no-run-if-empty
+env-clean      ?= /usr/bin/env --ignore-environment
+xargs-n1       := xargs -0 -t -n1 --no-run-if-empty
+xargs-n1-clean := $(env-clean) $(xargs-n1)
 
+## -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+## Default shell:
+##   o set -e            enable error checking
+##   o set -u            report undefined errors
+##   o set -o pipefail   propogate shell pipeline failures.
+## -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+SHELL ?= /bin/bash
 have-shell-bash := $(filter bash,$(subst /,$(space),$(SHELL)))
 $(if $(have-shell-bash),$(null),\
-  $(eval export SHELL := /bin/bash -euo pipefail))
+  $(eval export SHELL := bash -euo pipefail))
+
+export SHELL ?= bash -euo pipefail
 
 $(if $(DEBUG),$(warning LEAVE))
 
diff --git a/makefiles/docker/include.mk b/makefiles/docker/include.mk
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d78d008
--- /dev/null
+++ b/makefiles/docker/include.mk
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+# -*- makefile -*-
+# -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+# Copyright 2017-2023 Open Networking Foundation (ONF) and the ONF Contributors
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+# You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+# http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+# limitations under the License.d
+# -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+$(if $(DEBUG),$(warning ENTER))
+
+# tool containers
+VOLTHA_TOOLS_VERSION ?= 2.4.0
+
+docker-run     = docker run --rm --user $$(id -u):$$(id -g)#   # Docker command stem
+docker-run-app = $(docker-run) -v ${CURDIR}:/app#              # w/filesystem mount
+is-stdin       = $(shell test -t 0 && echo "-it")
+
+# Docker volume mounts: container:/app/release <=> localhost:{pwd}/release
+vee-golang     = -v gocache-${VOLTHA_TOOLS_VERSION}:/go/pkg
+vee-citools    = voltha/voltha-ci-tools:${VOLTHA_TOOLS_VERSION}
+
+# Tool Containers
+PROTOC    = $(docker-run) -v ${CURDIR}:/app $(is-stdin) $(vee-citools)-protoc protoc
+PROTOC_SH = $(docker-run) -v ${CURDIR}:/go/src/github.com/opencord/voltha-protos/v5 $(is-stdin) --workdir=/go/src/github.com/opencord/voltha-protos/v5 $(vee-citools)-protoc sh -c
+GO        = $(docker-run) -v ${CURDIR}:/app $(is-stdin) -v gocache:/.cache $(vee-golang) $(vee-citools)-golang go
+
+$(if $(DEBUG),$(warning LEAVE))
+
+# [EOF]
diff --git a/makefiles/help/include.mk b/makefiles/help/include.mk
index 7a93bd0..ffd390f 100644
--- a/makefiles/help/include.mk
+++ b/makefiles/help/include.mk
@@ -18,29 +18,28 @@
 # Parent makefile should include this early so help
 # message will be prefixed by a usage statement.
 help ::
-	@echo "Usage: $(MAKE) [options] [target] ..."
 	@echo
-	@echo '[Virtual Env]'
-	@echo '  venv           Create a python virtual environment'
-	@echo '  venv_protos    Create a python virtual environment'
-	@echo "  $(VENV_NAME)"
+	@echo "Usage: $(MAKE) [options] [target] ..."
+
 	@echo
 	@echo '[ACTION] - golang, java and python'
 	@echo '  protos'
 	@echo '  build'
 	@echo '  test'
-	@echo
-	@echo '[CLEAN]'
-	@echo '  clean          Remove generated targets'
-	@echo '  sterile        clean + remove virtual env interpreter install'
+
 	@echo
 	@echo '[HELP]'
-	@echo '  help           Display program help'
+	@echo '  help                         Display program help'
 #	@echo '  help-verbose   Display additional targets and help'
+
 	@echo
 	@echo '[PROTOS: generate]'
 	@echo '  go-protos'
 	@echo '  java-protos'
 	@echo '  python-protos'
 
+	@echo
+	@echo '[MISC]'
+	@echo '  repair                       Recover from a common fatal build condition'
+
 # [EOF]
diff --git a/makefiles/include.mk b/makefiles/include.mk
index 919ddaf..3cdbf2c 100644
--- a/makefiles/include.mk
+++ b/makefiles/include.mk
@@ -32,12 +32,17 @@
 ##--------------------##
 ##---]  INCLUDES  [---##
 ##--------------------##
-include $(MAKEDIR)/consts.mk
 include $(MAKEDIR)/help/include.mk
+
+include $(MAKEDIR)/consts.mk
+include $(MAKEDIR)/virtualenv.mk
+
 include $(MAKEDIR)/help/variables.mk
-include $(MAKEDIR)/lint/include.mk
 include $(MAKEDIR)/todo.mk
 
+include $(MAKEDIR)/docker/include.mk
+include $(MAKEDIR)/lint/include.mk
+
 $(if $(DEBUG),$(warning LEAVE))
 
 # [EOF]
diff --git a/makefiles/lint/json.mk b/makefiles/lint/json.mk
index c3d5447..96eb87a 100644
--- a/makefiles/lint/json.mk
+++ b/makefiles/lint/json.mk
@@ -32,6 +32,6 @@
 	done
 
 help::
-	@echo "  lint-json            Syntax check json sources"
+	@echo "  lint-json                    Syntax check json sources"
 
 # [EOF]
diff --git a/makefiles/lint/makefile.mk b/makefiles/lint/makefile.mk
index 61de008..3cf41d2 100644
--- a/makefiles/lint/makefile.mk
+++ b/makefiles/lint/makefile.mk
@@ -37,6 +37,6 @@
 ## -----------------------------------------------------------------------
 ## -----------------------------------------------------------------------
 help ::
-	@echo '  lint-make                     Syntax check [Mm]akefile and *.mk'
+	@echo '  lint-make                    Syntax check [Mm]akefile and *.mk'
 
 # [EOF]
diff --git a/makefiles/lint/python.mk b/makefiles/lint/python.mk
index 9252657..592ae98 100644
--- a/makefiles/lint/python.mk
+++ b/makefiles/lint/python.mk
@@ -34,6 +34,6 @@
 ## -----------------------------------------------------------------------
 ## -----------------------------------------------------------------------
 help ::
-	@echo '  lint-python                   Syntax check python sources'
+	@echo '  lint-python                  Syntax check python sources'
 
 # [EOF]
diff --git a/makefiles/lint/robot.mk b/makefiles/lint/robot.mk
index f33c4ba..dfbf034 100644
--- a/makefiles/lint/robot.mk
+++ b/makefiles/lint/robot.mk
@@ -38,6 +38,6 @@
 	    ; rflint $(LINT_ARGS) $(ROBOT_FILES)
 
 help::
-	@echo "  lint-robot           Syntax check robot sources using rflint"
+	@echo "  lint-robot                   Syntax check robot sources using rflint"
 
 # [EOF]
diff --git a/makefiles/lint/shell.mk b/makefiles/lint/shell.mk
index 0180e90..5ccc34f 100644
--- a/makefiles/lint/shell.mk
+++ b/makefiles/lint/shell.mk
@@ -34,6 +34,6 @@
 ## -----------------------------------------------------------------------
 ## -----------------------------------------------------------------------
 help ::
-	@echo '  lint-shell                    Syntax check shell sources'
+	@echo '  lint-shell                   Syntax check shell sources'
 
 # [EOF]
diff --git a/makefiles/lint/yaml/yamllint.mk b/makefiles/lint/yaml/yamllint.mk
index 0cf75de..b3ce6a5 100644
--- a/makefiles/lint/yaml/yamllint.mk
+++ b/makefiles/lint/yaml/yamllint.mk
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@
 ## -----------------------------------------------------------------------
 ## -----------------------------------------------------------------------
 help::
-	@echo "  lint-yaml                     Syntax check yaml sources"
+	@echo "  lint-yaml                    Syntax check yaml sources"
 
 $(if $(DEBUG),$(warning ENTER))
 
diff --git a/makefiles/todo.mk b/makefiles/todo.mk
index e2e826f..e59423d 100644
--- a/makefiles/todo.mk
+++ b/makefiles/todo.mk
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@
 ## -----------------------------------------------------------------------
 ## -----------------------------------------------------------------------
 help::
-	@echo "  todo                       Display future enhancement list"
+	@echo "  todo                         Display future enhancement list"
 
 todo ::
 	@echo
diff --git a/makefiles/virtualenv.mk b/makefiles/virtualenv.mk
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..93eb29d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/makefiles/virtualenv.mk
@@ -0,0 +1,82 @@
+# -*- makefile -*-
+## -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+# Copyright 2017-2023 Open Networking Foundation (ONF) and the ONF Contributors
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+# You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+# http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+# limitations under the License.
+## -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+# https://gerrit.opencord.org/plugins/gitiles/onf-make
+# ONF.makefile.version = 1.0
+# -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+$(if $(DEBUG),$(warning ENTER))
+
+##-------------------##
+##---]  GLOBALS  [---##
+##-------------------##
+.PHONY: venv
+
+##------------------##
+##---]  LOCALS  [---##
+##------------------##
+venv-name            ?= .venv#                            # default install directory
+venv-abs-path        := $(PWD)/$(venv-name)
+
+venv-activate-script := $(venv-name)/bin/activate#        # dependency
+
+# Intent: activate= is a macro for accessing the virtualenv activation script#
+#  Usage: $(activate) && python
+activate             ?= set +u && source $(venv-activate-script) && set -u
+
+## -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+## Intent: Activate script path dependency
+## Usage:
+##    o place on the right side of colon as a target dependency
+##    o When the script does not exist install the virtual env and display.
+## -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+$(venv-activate-script):
+	@echo
+	@echo "============================="
+	@echo "Installing python virtual env"
+	@echo "============================="
+	virtualenv -p python3 $(venv-name)
+	$(activate) && python -m pip install --upgrade pip
+	$(activate) && pip install --upgrade setuptools
+	$(activate) && { [[ -r requirements.txt ]] && python -m pip install -r requirements.txt; }
+	$(activate) && python --version
+
+## -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+## Intent: Explicit named installer target w/o dependencies.
+##         Makefile targets should depend on venv-activate-script.
+## -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+venv: $(venv-activate-script)
+
+## -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+## Intent: Revert installation to a clean checkout
+## -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+sterile :: clean
+	$(RM) -r "$(venv-abs-path)"
+
+## -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+## -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+help ::
+	@echo
+	@echo '[VIRTUAL ENV]'
+	@echo '  venv                Create a python virtual environment'
+	@echo '    venv-name=        Subdir name for virtualenv install'
+	@echo '  venv-activate-script         make macro name'
+	@echo '      $$(target) dependency    install python virtualenv'
+	@echo '      source $$(macro) && cmd  configure env and run cmd'
+
+$(if $(DEBUG),$(warning LEAVE))
+
+# [EOF]
diff --git a/requirements.txt b/requirements.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..98f43ad
--- /dev/null
+++ b/requirements.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+grpcio==1.39.0
+protobuf==3.17.3
+grpcio-tools==1.39.0
+googleapis-common-protos==1.52.0
+nose2[coverage_plugin]