diff --git a/src/python/jw/pkg/App.py b/src/python/jw/pkg/App.py
index 5241b066..f4a0c633 100644
--- a/src/python/jw/pkg/App.py
+++ b/src/python/jw/pkg/App.py
@@ -300,15 +300,31 @@ class App(Base):
     @property
     def os_release(self) -> str:
         if self.__os_release is None:
-            result = self.call_async(
-                        self.exec_context.run(
-                            ['/usr/bin/cat', '/etc/os-release'],
-                            throw=True,
-                            cmd_input=InputMode.NonInteractive
+            release_file = '/etc/os-release'
+            try:
+                result = self.call_async(
+                            self.exec_context.run(
+                                ['/usr/bin/cat', release_file],
+                                throw=True,
+                                cmd_input=InputMode.NonInteractive
+                            )
                         )
-                    )
-            assert result.status == 0
-            self.__os_release = result.decode().stdout.strip()
+                self.__os_release = result.decode().stdout.strip()
+            except Exception as e:
+                result = self.call_async(
+                            self.exec_context.run(
+                                ['uname', '-s'],
+                                throw=False,
+                                cmd_input=InputMode.NonInteractive
+                            )
+                        )
+                if result.status != 0:
+                    log(ERR, f'/etc/os-release and uname both failed, the latter with exit status {result.status}')
+                    raise
+                log(INFO, f'Failed to read {release_file} ({str(e)}), falling back to uname')
+                uname = result.decode().stdout.strip().lower()
+                self.__os_release = f'ID={uname}\nVERSION_CODENAME=unknown'
+
         return self.__os_release
 
     def os_release_field(self, key: str, throw: bool=False) -> str:
@@ -422,32 +438,38 @@ class App(Base):
         def __append(entry: str):
             if not entry in ret:
                 ret.append(entry)
-        import platform
         if self.__os_cascade is None:
-            ret = [ 'os', platform.system().lower() ]
+            ret = [ 'os' ]
             match self.distro_id:
                 case 'centos':
+                    __append('linux')
                     __append('pkg-rpm')
                     __append('pm-yum')
                     __append('redhat')
                     __append('rhel')
                 case 'fedora' | 'rhel':
+                    __append('linux')
                     __append('pkg-rpm')
                     __append('pm-yum')
                     __append('redhat')
                 case 'suse':
+                    __append('linux')
                     __append('pkg-rpm')
                     __append('pm-zypper')
                 case 'kali' | 'raspbian':
+                    __append('linux')
                     __append('pkg-debian')
                     __append('pm-apt')
                     __append('debian')
                 case 'ubuntu':
+                    __append('linux')
                     __append('pkg-debian')
                     __append('pm-apt')
                 case 'archlinux':
+                    __append('linux')
                     __append('pkg-pm')
                     __append('pm-pacman')
+
             os = self.__opt_os if self.__opt_os is not None else self.get_os()
             name = re.sub(r'-.*', '', os)
             series = os