diff --git a/dot_gitconfig.tmpl b/dot_gitconfig.tmpl
index b34db61..f45f4dd 100644
--- a/dot_gitconfig.tmpl
+++ b/dot_gitconfig.tmpl
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+{{ if not $REMOTE_CONTAINERS -}}
+{{ # we do not manage git in devcontainers -}}
 [user]
 	name = {{ .fullname }}
 	email = {{ .email }}
@@ -24,3 +26,4 @@
 	helper = /usr/local/share/gcm-core/git-credential-manager
 [credential "https://dev.azure.com"]
 	useHttpPath = true
+{{ end -}}
diff --git a/dot_gitignore_global b/dot_gitignore_global
deleted file mode 100644
index 3323b34..0000000
--- a/dot_gitignore_global
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,2 +0,0 @@
-.env
-.DS_Store
diff --git a/dot_gitignore_global.tmpl b/dot_gitignore_global.tmpl
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..70859b2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/dot_gitignore_global.tmpl
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+{{ if not $REMOTE_CONTAINERS -}}
+{{ # we do not manage git in devcontainers -}}
+.env
+.DS_Store
+{{ end -}}
diff --git a/install.sh b/install.sh
old mode 100644
new mode 100755
index 7063239..c34194f
--- a/install.sh
+++ b/install.sh
@@ -1,19 +1,63 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 
-# if darwin and brew is not installed
-if [ "$(uname)" == "Darwin" ] && [ ! -x "$(command -v brew)" ]; then
-  echo "Installing Homebrew"
-  /bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"
-fi
+CHEZMOI_USER="senz"
+
+install_homebrew() {
+  if [ ! -x "$(command -v brew)" ]; then
+    xcode-select --install
+
+    echo "Installing Homebrew"
+    /bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"
+  fi
+}
 
-# if chezmoi is installed
-if [ -x "$(command -v chezmoi)" ]; then
-  echo "Running chezmoi init --apply --verbose"
-  chezmoi init --apply --verbose
+install_chezmoi() {
+  if [ ! -x "$(command -v chezmoi)" ]; then
+    echo "Installing chezmoi"
+
+    if [ "$(uname)" == "Darwin" ]; then
+      brew install chezmoi
+    elif [ "$(uname)" == "Linux" ]; then
+      sh -c "$(curl -fsLS get.chezmoi.io)"
+    fi
+  fi
+}
+
+prepare_devcontainer() {
+  echo "Running in devcontainer/codespace"
+  if [ ! -f ~/.config/chezmoi/chezmoi.yaml ]; then
+    mkdir -p $HOME/.config/chezmoi
+    echo "pre-populating config from gitconfig"
+    cat <<EOF > $HOME/.config/chezmoi/chezmoi.yaml
+---
+data:
+  fullname: $(git config --get user.name)
+  email: $(git config --get user.email)
+  recipient: $(git config --get user.signingkey)
+EOF
+  fi
+}
+
+run_chezmoi() {
+  if [ -n "$REMOTE_CONTAINERS" ]; then
+    # we have all the files in the dotfiles directory already
+    # so we can just run chezmoi init with the dotfiles directory and then purge
+    chezmoi init --debug --no-tty -S ~/dotfiles --apply --verbose
+  else
+    chezmoi init --debug --apply --verbose $CHEZMOI_USER
+  fi
+}
+
+# os specific pre-requisites
+if [ "$(uname)" == "Darwin" ]; then
+  install_homebrew
 fi
 
+install_chezmoi
+
 # in devcontainer/codespace
-# REMOTE_CONTAINERS is set
 if [ -n "$REMOTE_CONTAINERS" ]; then
-  echo "Running in devcontainer/codespace"
+  prepare_devcontainer
 fi
+
+run_chezmoi