diff --git a/Jenkinsfile b/Jenkinsfile
index 4d2ba63f..c18955b9 100644
--- a/Jenkinsfile
+++ b/Jenkinsfile
@@ -5,18 +5,18 @@ def documentationPlatform = "ubuntu-clang"
 /* depend on triqs upstream branch/project */
 def triqsBranch = env.CHANGE_TARGET ?: env.BRANCH_NAME
 def triqsProject = '/TRIQS/triqs/' + triqsBranch.replaceAll('/', '%2F')
-/* whether to publish the results (disabled for template project) */
-def publish = !env.BRANCH_NAME.startsWith("PR-")
+/* whether to keep and publish the results */
+def keepInstall = !env.BRANCH_NAME.startsWith("PR-")
 
 properties([
   disableConcurrentBuilds(),
   buildDiscarder(logRotator(numToKeepStr: '10', daysToKeepStr: '30')),
-  pipelineTriggers([
+  pipelineTriggers(keepInstall ? [
     upstream(
       threshold: 'SUCCESS',
       upstreamProjects: triqsProject
     )
-  ])
+  ] : [])
 ])
 
 /* map of all builds to run, populated below */
@@ -38,8 +38,7 @@ for (int i = 0; i < dockerPlatforms.size(); i++) {
       """
       /* build and tag */
       def img = docker.build("flatironinstitute/${projectName}:${env.BRANCH_NAME}-${env.STAGE_NAME}", "--build-arg APPNAME=${projectName} --build-arg BUILD_DOC=${platform==documentationPlatform} .")
-      if (!publish || platform != documentationPlatform) {
-        /* but we don't need the tag so clean it up (except for documentation) */
+      if (!keepInstall) {
         sh "docker rmi --no-prune ${img.imageName()}"
       }
     } }
@@ -59,7 +58,7 @@ for (int i = 0; i < osxPlatforms.size(); i++) {
       def srcDir = pwd()
       def tmpDir = pwd(tmp:true)
       def buildDir = "$tmpDir/build"
-      def installDir = "$tmpDir/install"
+      def installDir = keepInstall ? "${env.HOME}/install/${projectName}/${env.BRANCH_NAME}/${platform}" : "$tmpDir/install"
       def triqsDir = "${env.HOME}/install/triqs/${triqsBranch}/${platform}"
       dir(installDir) {
         deleteDir()
@@ -72,6 +71,8 @@ for (int i = 0; i < osxPlatforms.size(); i++) {
         "LIBRARY_PATH=$triqsDir/lib:${env.BREW}/lib",
         "CMAKE_PREFIX_PATH=$triqsDir/lib/cmake/triqs"]) {
         deleteDir()
+        /* note: this is installing into the parent (triqs) venv (install dir), which is thus shared among apps and so not be completely safe */
+        sh "pip install -r $srcDir/requirements.txt"
         sh "cmake $srcDir -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=$installDir -DTRIQS_ROOT=$triqsDir"
         sh "make -j3"
         try {
@@ -89,12 +90,13 @@ for (int i = 0; i < osxPlatforms.size(); i++) {
 /****************** wrap-up */
 try {
   parallel platforms
-  if (publish) { node("docker") {
+  if (keepInstall) { node("docker") {
     /* Publish results */
-    stage("publish") { timeout(time: 1, unit: 'HOURS') {
+    stage("publish") { timeout(time: 5, unit: 'MINUTES') {
       def commit = sh(returnStdout: true, script: "git rev-parse HEAD").trim()
       def release = env.BRANCH_NAME == "master" || env.BRANCH_NAME == "unstable" || sh(returnStdout: true, script: "git describe --exact-match HEAD || true").trim()
       def workDir = pwd()
+      lock('triqs_publish') {
       /* Update documention on gh-pages branch */
       dir("$workDir/gh-pages") {
         def subdir = "${projectName}/${env.BRANCH_NAME}"
@@ -108,22 +110,24 @@ try {
           git commit --author='Flatiron Jenkins <jenkins@flatironinstitute.org>' --allow-empty -m 'Generated documentation for ${subdir}' -m '${env.BUILD_TAG} ${commit}'
         """
         // note: credentials used above don't work (need JENKINS-28335)
-        sh "git push origin master || { git pull --rebase origin master && git push origin master ; }"
+        sh "git push origin master"
       }
       /* Update packaging repo submodule */
       if (release) { dir("$workDir/packaging") { try {
         git(url: "ssh://git@github.com/TRIQS/packaging.git", branch: env.BRANCH_NAME, credentialsId: "ssh", changelog: false)
-        sh "test -d triqs_${projectName}"
-        sh "echo '160000 commit ${commit}\ttriqs_${projectName}' | git update-index --index-info"
-        sh """
-          git commit --author='Flatiron Jenkins <jenkins@flatironinstitute.org>' --allow-empty -m 'Autoupdate ${projectName}' -m '${env.BUILD_TAG}'
-        """
         // note: credentials used above don't work (need JENKINS-28335)
-        sh "git push origin ${env.BRANCH_NAME} || { git pull --rebase origin ${env.BRANCH_NAME} && git push origin ${env.BRANCH_NAME} ; }"
+        sh """#!/bin/bash -ex
+          dir="${projectName}"
+          [[ -d triqs_\$dir ]] && dir=triqs_\$dir || [[ -d \$dir ]]
+          echo "160000 commit ${commit}\t\$dir" | git update-index --index-info
+          git commit --author='Flatiron Jenkins <jenkins@flatironinstitute.org>' -m 'Autoupdate ${projectName}' -m '${env.BUILD_TAG}'
+          git push origin ${env.BRANCH_NAME}
+        """
       } catch (err) {
         /* Ignore, non-critical -- might not exist on this branch */
         echo "Failed to update packaging repo"
       } } }
+      }
     } }
   } }
 } catch (err) {
diff --git a/requirements.txt b/requirements.txt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..21ccef9e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/requirements.txt
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+# Required python packages for this application (these should also be added to Dockerfile for Jenkins)