diff --git a/rattail_fabric/python.py b/rattail_fabric/python.py
index 72aa0cb..5dbecb8 100644
--- a/rattail_fabric/python.py
+++ b/rattail_fabric/python.py
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ from fabric.contrib.files import exists, append
 from rattail_fabric import apt, mkdir
 
 
-def install_pip(use_apt=False):
+def install_pip(use_apt=False, eager=True):
     """
     Install/upgrade the Pip installer for Python.
     """
@@ -53,7 +53,10 @@ def install_pip(use_apt=False):
             sudo('apt-get --assume-yes purge python-setuptools')
             pip('setuptools')
         pip('pip', upgrade=True)
-        pip('setuptools', 'wheel', 'ndg-httpsclient', upgrade=True, upgrade_strategy='eager')
+        kwargs = {}
+        if eager:
+            kwargs['upgrade_strategy'] = 'eager'
+        pip('setuptools', 'wheel', 'ndg-httpsclient', upgrade=True, **kwargs)
 
 
 def pip(*packages, **kwargs):