diff --git a/rattail_fabric/python.py b/rattail_fabric/python.py
index 20e6cb4..71fafbe 100644
--- a/rattail_fabric/python.py
+++ b/rattail_fabric/python.py
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ from contextlib import contextmanager
 
 import six
 
-from fabric.api import sudo, run, prefix, cd, settings, env
+from fabric.api import abort, sudo, run, prefix, cd, settings, env
 from fabric.contrib.files import exists, append
 
 from rattail_fabric import apt, mkdir
@@ -54,12 +54,17 @@ def install_pip(use_apt=False):
         pip('pip', 'wheel', 'ndg-httpsclient')
 
 
-def pip(*packages):
+def pip(*packages, **kwargs):
     """
     Install one or more packages via ``pip install``.
     """
-    packages = ["'{0}'".format(p) for p in packages]
-    sudo('pip install --upgrade {0}'.format(' '.join(packages)))
+    upgrade_strategy = kwargs.pop('upgrade_strategy', '')
+    if upgrade_strategy:
+        upgrade_strategy = '--upgrade-strategy {}'.format(upgrade_strategy)
+    if kwargs:
+        abort("Unknown kwargs for pip(): {}".format(kwargs))
+    packages = ["'{}'".format(p) for p in packages]
+    sudo('pip install --upgrade {} {}'.format(upgrade_strategy, ' '.join(packages)))
 
 
 def install_virtualenvwrapper(workon_home=None, user='root', use_apt=False):
@@ -99,7 +104,8 @@ def configure_virtualenvwrapper(user, workon_home=None, wrapper='/usr/local/bin/
     update('.bashrc')
 
 
-def mkvirtualenv(name, python=None, user=None, workon_home=None, upgrade_pip=True):
+def mkvirtualenv(name, python=None, user=None, workon_home=None,
+                 upgrade_pip=True, upgrade_setuptools=True, upgrade_strategy=None):
     """
     Make a new Python virtual environment.
     """
@@ -112,7 +118,9 @@ def mkvirtualenv(name, python=None, user=None, workon_home=None, upgrade_pip=Tru
             pip_req = 'pip'
         with workon(name):
             pip('six')
-            pip(pip_req, 'setuptools', 'wheel', 'ndg-httpsclient')
+            pip(pip_req)
+            if upgrade_setuptools:
+                pip('setuptools', 'wheel', 'ndg-httpsclient', upgrade_strategy=upgrade_strategy)
     if user:
         with cdvirtualenv(name, workon_home=workon_home):
             mkdir('app/log', owner='{0}:{0}'.format(user))