diff --git a/bootstrap.sh b/bootstrap.sh
index 8ac0c6f..7fccd9f 100644
--- a/bootstrap.sh
+++ b/bootstrap.sh
@@ -3,17 +3,20 @@ set -euo pipefail
 
 URL="https://git.jordanwages.com/wagesj45/proxmox-server-setup/raw/branch/main/setup.sh"
 
-# make sure whiptail is available for the password prompt
-if ! command -v whiptail >/dev/null 2>&1; then
-  echo "Error: whiptail is required for this bootstrap." >&2
-  exit 1
-fi
-
-# if we're not running as root, grab root password and re-exec via su
+# if we're not running as root, grab root password (whiptail if available, else tty)
 if [[ $EUID -ne 0 ]]; then
-  ROOTPW=$(whiptail --title "Authentication Required" \
-                   --passwordbox "Enter root password to elevate this script:" \
-                   8 60 3>&1 1>&2 2>&3) || exit 1
+  if command -v whiptail >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+    ROOTPW=$(whiptail --title "Authentication Required" \
+                     --passwordbox "Enter root password to elevate this script:" \
+                     8 60 3>&1 1>&2 2>&3) || exit 1
+  else
+    # Fallback to a simple TTY prompt if whiptail is missing
+    printf "Enter root password to elevate this script: "
+    stty -echo 2>/dev/null || true
+    read -r ROOTPW || exit 1
+    stty echo 2>/dev/null || true
+    printf "\n"
+  fi
 
   # choose fetch tool
   if command -v curl >/dev/null 2>&1; then
@@ -21,7 +24,8 @@ if [[ $EUID -ne 0 ]]; then
   elif command -v wget >/dev/null 2>&1; then
     FETCH_CMD="wget -qO- \"$URL\" | bash"
   else
-    whiptail --title "Error" --msgbox "curl or wget not found; install one to continue." 8 60
+    # No network fetch tool available without root; ask user to install one
+    echo "Error: curl or wget is required. Install one and re-run." >&2
     exit 1
   fi