diff --git a/all-spark-notebook/README.md b/all-spark-notebook/README.md
index 1e7580ae..f2d3f692 100644
--- a/all-spark-notebook/README.md
+++ b/all-spark-notebook/README.md
@@ -241,8 +241,17 @@ You can return to the default environment with this command:
 source deactivate
 ```
 
-The commands `ipython`, `python`, `pip`, `easy_install`, and `conda` (among others) are available in both environments.
+The commands `jupyter`, `ipython`, `python`, `pip`, `easy_install`, and `conda` (among others) are available in both environments. For convenience, you can install packages into either environment regardless of what environment is currently active using commands like the following:
 
+```
+# install a package into the python2 environment
+pip2 install some-package
+conda install -n python2 some-package
+
+# install a package into the default (python 3.x) environment
+pip3 install some-package
+conda install -n python3 some-package
+```
 
 ## JupyterHub
 
diff --git a/datascience-notebook/README.md b/datascience-notebook/README.md
index 3971bcf6..54f1d317 100644
--- a/datascience-notebook/README.md
+++ b/datascience-notebook/README.md
@@ -70,7 +70,17 @@ You can return to the default environment with this command:
 source deactivate
 ```
 
-The commands `ipython`, `python`, `pip`, `easy_install`, and `conda` (among others) are available in both environments.
+The commands `jupyter`, `ipython`, `python`, `pip`, `easy_install`, and `conda` (among others) are available in both environments. For convenience, you can install packages into either environment regardless of what environment is currently active using commands like the following:
+
+```
+# install a package into the python2 environment
+pip2 install some-package
+conda install -n python2 some-package
+
+# install a package into the default (python 3.x) environment
+pip3 install some-package
+conda install -n python3 some-package
+```
 
 
 ## JupyterHub
diff --git a/pyspark-notebook/Dockerfile b/pyspark-notebook/Dockerfile
index f050a8ce..9b8f65d3 100644
--- a/pyspark-notebook/Dockerfile
+++ b/pyspark-notebook/Dockerfile
@@ -69,6 +69,9 @@ RUN conda create --quiet --yes -p $CONDA_DIR/envs/python2 python=2.7 \
     'scikit-learn=0.17*' \
     pyzmq \
     && conda clean -tipsy
+# Add shortcuts to distinguish pip for python2 and python3 envs
+RUN ln -s $CONDA_DIR/envs/python2/bin/pip $CONDA_DIR/bin/pip2 && \
+    ln -s $CONDA_DIR/bin/pip $CONDA_DIR/bin/pip3
 
 # Install Python 2 kernel spec into the Python 3 conda environment which
 # runs the notebook server
diff --git a/pyspark-notebook/README.md b/pyspark-notebook/README.md
index fc81910e..e26b944e 100644
--- a/pyspark-notebook/README.md
+++ b/pyspark-notebook/README.md
@@ -143,8 +143,17 @@ You can return to the default environment with this command:
 source deactivate
 ```
 
-The commands `ipython`, `python`, `pip`, `easy_install`, and `conda` (among others) are available in both environments.
+The commands `jupyter`, `ipython`, `python`, `pip`, `easy_install`, and `conda` (among others) are available in both environments. For convenience, you can install packages into either environment regardless of what environment is currently active using commands like the following:
 
+```
+# install a package into the python2 environment
+pip2 install some-package
+conda install -n python2 some-package
+
+# install a package into the default (python 3.x) environment
+pip3 install some-package
+conda install -n python3 some-package
+```
 
 ## JupyterHub
 
diff --git a/scipy-notebook/Dockerfile b/scipy-notebook/Dockerfile
index f1434029..f8be0803 100644
--- a/scipy-notebook/Dockerfile
+++ b/scipy-notebook/Dockerfile
@@ -59,6 +59,9 @@ RUN conda create --quiet --yes -p $CONDA_DIR/envs/python2 python=2.7 \
     'h5py=2.5*' \
     'pyzmq' \
     && conda clean -tipsy
+# Add shortcuts to distinguish pip for python2 and python3 envs
+RUN ln -s $CONDA_DIR/envs/python2/bin/pip $CONDA_DIR/bin/pip2 && \
+    ln -s $CONDA_DIR/bin/pip $CONDA_DIR/bin/pip3
 
 USER root
 
diff --git a/scipy-notebook/README.md b/scipy-notebook/README.md
index 46606044..0febef17 100644
--- a/scipy-notebook/README.md
+++ b/scipy-notebook/README.md
@@ -67,8 +67,17 @@ You can return to the default environment with this command:
 source deactivate
 ```
 
-The commands `ipython`, `python`, `pip`, `easy_install`, and `conda` (among others) are available in both environments.
+The commands `jupyter`, `ipython`, `python`, `pip`, `easy_install`, and `conda` (among others) are available in both environments. For convenience, you can install packages into either environment regardless of what environment is currently active using commands like the following:
 
+```
+# install a package into the python2 environment
+pip2 install some-package
+conda install -n python2 some-package
+
+# install a package into the default (python 3.x) environment
+pip3 install some-package
+conda install -n python3 some-package
+```
 
 ## JupyterHub