diff --git a/cmake/presets/mingw-cross.cmake b/cmake/presets/mingw-cross.cmake
index ab2b9f15a3..c2101d1d9a 100644
--- a/cmake/presets/mingw-cross.cmake
+++ b/cmake/presets/mingw-cross.cmake
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ set(WIN_PACKAGES ASPHERE BODY CLASS2 COLLOID COMPRESS CORESHELL DIPOLE GPU
                  USER-COLVARS USER-DIFFRACTION USER-DPD USER-DRUDE USER-EFF USER-FEP
                  USER-HDNNP USER-INTEL USER-MANIFOLD USER-MDI USER-MEAMC USER-MESODPD
                  USER-MESONT USER-MISC USER-MGPT USER-MOFFF USER-MOLFILE USER-OMP
-                 USER-PACE USER-PHONON USER-PTM USER-QTB USER-REACTION USER-REAXC
+                 USER-PHONON USER-PTM USER-QTB USER-REACTION USER-REAXC
                  USER-SDPD USER-SMD USER-SMTBQ USER-SPH USER-TALLY USER-UEF
                  USER-YAFF)
 
diff --git a/doc/src/Intro_opensource.rst b/doc/src/Intro_opensource.rst
index f9fe99e252..635982fd18 100644
--- a/doc/src/Intro_opensource.rst
+++ b/doc/src/Intro_opensource.rst
@@ -2,18 +2,20 @@ LAMMPS open-source license
 --------------------------
 
 LAMMPS is a freely-available open-source code, distributed under the
-terms of the `GNU Public License <gnu_>`_, which means you can use or
-modify the code however you wish.
+terms of the `GNU Public License Version 2 <gpl_>`_, which means you can
+use or modify the code however you wish for your own purposes, but have
+to adhere to certain rules when redistributing it or software derived
+from it or that includes parts of it.
 
 LAMMPS comes with no warranty of any kind.  As each source file states
 in its header, it is a copyrighted code that is distributed free-of-
-charge, under the terms of the `GNU Public License <gnu_>`_ (GPL).  This
-is often referred to as open-source distribution - see
-`www.gnu.org <gnuorg_>`_ or `www.opensource.org <opensource_>`_.  The legal
-text of the GPL is in the LICENSE file included in the LAMMPS
+charge, under the terms of the `GNU Public License Version 2 <gpl_>`_
+(GPLv2).  This is often referred to as open-source distribution - see
+`www.gnu.org <gnuorg_>`_ or `www.opensource.org <opensource_>`_.  The
+legal text of the GPL is in the LICENSE file included in the LAMMPS
 distribution.
 
-.. _gnu: http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/gpl.html
+.. _gpl: https://github.com/lammps/lammps/blob/master/LICENSE
 
 .. _gnuorg: http://www.gnu.org
 
@@ -24,14 +26,14 @@ Here is a summary of what the GPL means for LAMMPS users:
 (1) Anyone is free to use, modify, or extend LAMMPS in any way they
 choose, including for commercial purposes.
 
-(2) If you distribute a modified version of LAMMPS, it must remain
-open-source, meaning you distribute it under the terms of the GPL.
-You should clearly annotate such a code as a derivative version of
-LAMMPS.
+(2) If you **distribute** a modified version of LAMMPS, it must remain
+open-source, meaning you distribute **all** of it under the terms of
+the GPL.  You should clearly annotate such a code as a derivative version
+of LAMMPS.
 
-(3) If you release any code that includes LAMMPS source code, then it
-must also be open-sourced, meaning you distribute it under the terms
-of the GPL.
+(3) If you release any code that includes or uses LAMMPS source code,
+then it must also be open-sourced, meaning you distribute it under
+the terms of the GPL.
 
 (4) If you give LAMMPS files to someone else, the GPL LICENSE file and
 source file headers (including the copyright and GPL notices) should
diff --git a/doc/src/Manual.rst b/doc/src/Manual.rst
index 9207f75c39..61b5af0eff 100644
--- a/doc/src/Manual.rst
+++ b/doc/src/Manual.rst
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ computers.  It was developed originally at Sandia National
 Laboratories, a US Department of Energy facility.  The majority of
 funding for LAMMPS has come from the US Department of Energy (DOE).
 LAMMPS is an open-source code, distributed freely under the terms of
-the GNU Public License (GPL).
+the GNU Public License Version 2 (GPLv2).
 
 The `LAMMPS website <lws_>`_ has a variety of information about the
 code.  It includes links to an on-line version of this manual, a
diff --git a/src/lammps.cpp b/src/lammps.cpp
index 1d9a41b4d5..a218b9e08a 100644
--- a/src/lammps.cpp
+++ b/src/lammps.cpp
@@ -130,6 +130,16 @@ LAMMPS::LAMMPS(int narg, char **arg, MPI_Comm communicator) :
 
   init_pkg_lists();
 
+#if defined(LMP_PYTHON) && defined(_WIN32)
+  // if the LAMMPSHOME environment variable is set, it should point
+  // to the location of the LAMMPS installation tree where we bundle
+  // the matching Python installation for use with the PYTHON package.
+  // this is currently only used on Windows with the windows installer packages
+  const char *lmpenv = getenv("LAMMPSHOME");
+  if (lmpenv) {
+    _putenv(utils::strdup(fmt::format("PYTHONHOME={}",lmpenv)));
+  }
+#endif
   // check if -mpicolor is first arg
   // if so, then 2 apps were launched with one mpirun command
   //   this means passed communicator (e.g. MPI_COMM_WORLD) is bigger than LAMMPS