diff --git a/.github/workflows/publish.yml b/.github/workflows/publish.yml
index 22b019e..58925a7 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/publish.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/publish.yml
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-name: Publishing on PyPi
+name: Publishing on PyPI
 on:
   release:
     types: [published]
@@ -8,18 +8,18 @@ jobs:
     name: Publish Python 🐍 distributions 📦 to PyPI
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
-    - uses: actions/checkout@master
+    - uses: actions/checkout@v4
 
 
-    - name: Set up Python 3.8
-      uses: actions/setup-python@v4
+    - name: Set up Python 3.9
+      uses: actions/setup-python@v5
       with:
-        python-version: 3.8
+        python-version: 3.9
     - name: Check Version
       run: test ${{ github.event.release.tag_name }} = `python -c "import scorep._version; print('v'+scorep._version.__version__)"`
 
     - name: Add Score-P repo
-      run: sudo add-apt-repository ppa:andreasgocht/scorep
+      run: sudo add-apt-repository ppa:score-p/releases
     
     - name: Install Score-P      
       run: sudo apt-get -y install scorep
@@ -31,11 +31,13 @@ jobs:
       run: >-
         python -m
         pip install build --user
+
     - name: Build a source tarball
       run: >-
         python -m
         build --sdist --outdir dist/ .
+
     - name: Publish distribution 📦 to PyPI
-      uses: pypa/gh-action-pypi-publish@master
+      uses: pypa/gh-action-pypi-publish@release/v1
       with:
         password: ${{ secrets.PYPI_API_TOKEN }}
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 0dae8fc..875d7a7 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ scorep is a module that allows tracing of python scripts using [Score-P](https:/
 <!-- <small><i><a href='http://ecotrust-canada.github.io/markdown-toc/'>Table of contents generated with markdown-toc</a></i></small> -->
 
 # Install
-You need at least Score-P 5.0, build with `--enable-shared` and the gcc compiler plugin.
+You need at least Score-P 5.0, build with `--enable-shared`.
 Please make sure that `scorep-config` is in your `PATH` variable.
 
 The Score-P community provides an unofficial PPA for Ubuntu LTS systems: https://launchpad.net/~score-p/+archive/ubuntu/releases .
diff --git a/scorep/__main__.py b/scorep/__main__.py
index 0cc4b88..43097b9 100644
--- a/scorep/__main__.py
+++ b/scorep/__main__.py
@@ -3,7 +3,8 @@
 
 import scorep.instrumenter
 import scorep.subsystem
-from scorep.helper import print_err
+import scorep.helper
+from scorep.helper import get_scorep_version, print_err
 
 
 def _err_exit(msg):
@@ -11,6 +12,39 @@ def _err_exit(msg):
     sys.exit(1)
 
 
+def print_help():
+    print("""\
+Usage: python -m scorep [options] [--] <script> [args]
+
+Score-P Python instrumentation wrapper. The following options control how the program is instrumented and executed. Any unknown option are passed directly to 'scorep-config'.
+
+  --help                   Show this help message and exit.
+  --keep-files             Keep temporary files after execution.
+  --verbose, -v            Enable verbose output for debugging and tracing.
+  --nopython               Disable instrumentation of Python code.
+                           Instrumentation can still be enabled later from within the application's source code.
+  --noinstrumenter         Same as --nopython.
+  --instrumenter-type=<type>
+                           Specify custom instrumenter type (e.g., cProfile).
+  --instrumenter-file=<file>
+                           Path to a Python script that is executed before the application.
+                           Allows instrumentation of specific modules and functions without modifying their source code.
+  --                       Stop parsing Score-P options; interpret all following arguments verbatim as the program with its arguments.
+
+Other options starting with '-' are passed directly to 'scorep-config'.
+To view all available Score-P configuration options, run: scorep-config --help
+
+Example:
+  scorep --mpi --thread=pthread -- ./your_script.py --arg1 --arg2
+
+Note:
+  If using --noinstrumenter, Score-P will not trace Python code, but it may still collect MPI or threading events
+    if configured.
+  You can enable Python instrumentation manually from within your application's source code,
+     e.g., by calling 'scorep.instrumenter.enable()'.
+""")  # noqa: E501
+
+
 def scorep_main(argv=None):
     if argv is None:
         argv = sys.argv
@@ -19,10 +53,11 @@ def scorep_main(argv=None):
     prog_argv = []
     parse_scorep_commands = True
 
+    show_help = False
     keep_files = False
     verbose = False
-    no_default_compiler = False
     no_instrumenter = False
+
     if scorep.instrumenter.has_c_instrumenter():
         instrumenter_type = "cProfile"
     else:
@@ -33,20 +68,22 @@ def scorep_main(argv=None):
         if parse_scorep_commands:
             if elem == "--":
                 parse_scorep_commands = False
+            if elem == "--help":
+                show_help = True
+                break
             elif elem == "--mpi":
+                print_err(f"scorep: Warning: The option '{elem}' is deprecated "
+                          "and will be removed in future.")
                 scorep_config.append("--mpp=mpi")
             elif elem == "--keep-files":
                 keep_files = True
             elif elem == "--verbose" or elem == '-v':
                 verbose = True
-            elif elem == "--nocompiler":
-                scorep_config.append(elem)
-                no_default_compiler = True
             elif elem == "--nopython":
                 no_instrumenter = True
             elif elem == "--noinstrumenter":
                 no_instrumenter = True
-            elif elem in ["--io=runtime:posix", "--io=posix"]:
+            elif elem in ["--io=runtime:posix", "--io=posix"] and get_scorep_version() >= 9.0:
                 print_err(f"scorep: Warning: The option '{elem}' is deprecated.")
                 if "SCOREP_IO_POSIX" in os.environ:
                     print_err("        Will not overwrite existing value for environment variable "
@@ -68,9 +105,10 @@ def scorep_main(argv=None):
         else:
             prog_argv.append(elem)
 
-    if not no_default_compiler:
-        scorep_config.append("--compiler")
-
+    # fast exit on "--help"
+    if show_help:
+        print_help()
+        sys.exit(0)
     if len(prog_argv) == 0:
         _err_exit("Did not find a script to run")
 
diff --git a/scorep/_version.py b/scorep/_version.py
index ecdb1ce..f9f7166 100644
--- a/scorep/_version.py
+++ b/scorep/_version.py
@@ -1 +1 @@
-__version__ = "4.4.0"
+__version__ = "4.5.1"
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 703ff60..6851060 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -13,20 +13,6 @@
         'Score-P not build with "--enable-shared". Link mode is:\n{}'.format(link_mode)
     )
 
-check_compiler = scorep.helper.get_scorep_config("C99 compiler used:")
-if check_compiler is None:
-    check_compiler = scorep.helper.get_scorep_config("C99 compiler:")
-if check_compiler is None:
-    raise RuntimeError("Can not parse the C99 compiler, aborting!")
-if "gcc" in check_compiler:
-    gcc_plugin = scorep.helper.get_scorep_config("GCC plug-in support:")
-    if not ("yes" in gcc_plugin):
-        raise RuntimeError(
-            "Score-P uses GCC but is not build with GCC Compiler Plugin. "
-            "GCC plug-in support is:\n{}".format(gcc_plugin)
-        )
-
-
 install_requires= ["setuptools>=68.0.0"]
 
 cmodules = []
diff --git a/test/test_scorep.py b/test/test_scorep.py
index 228c8de..ae703d9 100755
--- a/test/test_scorep.py
+++ b/test/test_scorep.py
@@ -463,3 +463,10 @@ def test_force_finalize(scorep_env, instrumenter):
     trace = OTF2_Trace(trace_path)
     assert OTF2_Region("__main__:foo") in trace
     assert OTF2_Region("__main__:bar") not in trace
+
+
+def test_help():
+    std_out, std_err = utils.call_with_scorep("", ["--help"])
+
+    assert "Usage: python -m scorep" in std_out
+    assert "--help" in std_out