diff --git a/.github/workflows/macos_build.yml b/.github/workflows/macos_build.yml
index 5c5c891fde..5e938f38b3 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/macos_build.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/macos_build.yml
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ concurrency:
 
 jobs:
   build:
-    runs-on: 'macos-latest'
+    runs-on: macos-latest
     strategy:
       fail-fast: false  # don't cancel if a job from the matrix fails
       matrix:
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ jobs:
         ]
 
     steps:
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v2
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v3
         with:
           submodules: 'recursive'
       - name: Install Prerequisites
@@ -31,11 +31,12 @@ jobs:
       # Put ccache into github cache for faster build
       - name: Prepare ccache timestamp
         id: ccache_cache_timestamp
+        shell: bash
         run: |
           NOW=$(date -u +"%F-%T")
-          echo "::set-output name=timestamp::${NOW}"
+          echo "timestamp=${NOW}" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
       - name: ccache cache files
-        uses: actions/cache@v2
+        uses: actions/cache@v3
         with:
           path: ~/.ccache
           key: ${{github.workflow}}-ccache-${{matrix.config}}-${{steps.ccache_cache_timestamp.outputs.timestamp}}
diff --git a/Tools/environment_install/install-prereqs-mac.sh b/Tools/environment_install/install-prereqs-mac.sh
index 7039f8ecd2..0827a01153 100755
--- a/Tools/environment_install/install-prereqs-mac.sh
+++ b/Tools/environment_install/install-prereqs-mac.sh
@@ -96,6 +96,13 @@ function maybe_prompt_user() {
     fi
 }
 
+# delete links installed by github in /usr/local/bin; installing or
+# upgrading python via brew fails if these links are in place.  brew
+# auto-updates things when you install other packages which depend on
+# more recent versions.
+# see https://github.com/orgs/Homebrew/discussions/3895
+find /usr/local/bin -lname '*/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/*' -delete
+
 brew update
 brew install gawk curl coreutils wget
 
@@ -111,7 +118,7 @@ if maybe_prompt_user "Install python using pyenv [N/y]?" ; then
 
         pushd $HOME/.pyenv
         git fetch --tags
-        git checkout v2.0.4
+        git checkout v2.3.12
         popd
         exportline="export PYENV_ROOT=\$HOME/.pyenv"
         echo $exportline >> ~/$SHELL_LOGIN
@@ -124,8 +131,12 @@ if maybe_prompt_user "Install python using pyenv [N/y]?" ; then
         source ~/$SHELL_LOGIN
     }
     echo "pyenv installed"
-    env PYTHON_CONFIGURE_OPTS="--enable-framework" pyenv install 3.9.4
-    pyenv global 3.9.4
+    {
+        $(pyenv global 3.10.4)
+    } || {
+        env PYTHON_CONFIGURE_OPTS="--enable-framework" pyenv install 3.10.4
+    pyenv global 3.10.4
+}
 fi
 
 
@@ -148,7 +159,7 @@ if [[ $DO_AP_STM_ENV -eq 1 ]]; then
     install_arm_none_eabi_toolchain
 fi
 
-PYTHON_PKGS="future lxml pymavlink MAVProxy pexpect geocoder flake8 empy"
+PYTHON_PKGS="future lxml pymavlink MAVProxy pexpect geocoder flake8 empy dronecan"
 # add some Python packages required for commonly-used MAVProxy modules and hex file generation:
 if [[ $SKIP_AP_EXT_ENV -ne 1 ]]; then
     PYTHON_PKGS="$PYTHON_PKGS intelhex gnureadline"