diff --git a/defaults/main.yml b/defaults/main.yml
index 61ceebe..96dcc6a 100644
--- a/defaults/main.yml
+++ b/defaults/main.yml
@@ -13,6 +13,10 @@
 # See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 # limitations under the License.
 
+# Set the package install state for distribution packages
+# Options are 'present' and 'latest'
+haproxy_package_state: "latest"
+
 ## Haproxy Configuration
 haproxy_rise: 3
 haproxy_fall: 3
diff --git a/tasks/haproxy_add_ppa_repo.yml b/tasks/haproxy_add_ppa_repo.yml
index f7cc6c0..246f176 100644
--- a/tasks/haproxy_add_ppa_repo.yml
+++ b/tasks/haproxy_add_ppa_repo.yml
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@
 - name: Install haproxy pre packages
   apt:
     pkg: "{{ item }}"
-    state: latest
+    state: "{{ haproxy_package_state }}"
   register: install_packages
   until: install_packages|success
   retries: 5
diff --git a/tasks/haproxy_install_apt.yml b/tasks/haproxy_install_apt.yml
index a6533a3..55b83fd 100644
--- a/tasks/haproxy_install_apt.yml
+++ b/tasks/haproxy_install_apt.yml
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@
 - name: Install HAProxy Packages
   apt:
     pkg: "{{ item }}"
-    state: latest
+    state: "{{ haproxy_package_state }}"
   register: install_packages
   until: install_packages|success
   retries: 5
diff --git a/tasks/haproxy_install_yum.yml b/tasks/haproxy_install_yum.yml
index 67265fc..810fde8 100644
--- a/tasks/haproxy_install_yum.yml
+++ b/tasks/haproxy_install_yum.yml
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
 - name: Install yum packages
   yum:
     pkg: "{{ item }}"
-    state: present
+    state: "{{ haproxy_package_state }}"
   register: install_packages
   until: install_packages|success
   retries: 5