diff --git a/README b/README
index 7dffaae..f9cb3b9 100644
--- a/README
+++ b/README
@@ -18,6 +18,12 @@ options:
 -nx, --nocgi: disable cgi execution
 
 hints:
+if you're running esgd with the python executable on the
+command line, e.g. `python esgd.py --host 0.0.0.0
+--gopherhost test`, ENSURE THAT THE EXECUTABLE IS INTERPRETING
+PYTHON3 CODE. On my system, you have to use the executable
+`python3`; `python` is python2 on my system.
+
 by default python's socketserver when hosting on "localhost"
 will bind to the loopback interface. this is fine for testing,
 but in production you'll want to use --host '0.0.0.0' to force