diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index dcfafdb2..81c6244d 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -1,11 +1,7 @@
 # puppet-python
 
-[![License](https://img.shields.io/github/license/voxpupuli/puppet-python.svg)](https://github.com/voxpupuli/puppet-python/blob/master/LICENSE)
-[![Build Status](https://travis-ci.org/voxpupuli/puppet-python.png?branch=master)](https://travis-ci.org/voxpupuli/puppet-python)
-[![Puppet Forge](https://img.shields.io/puppetforge/v/puppet/python.svg)](https://forge.puppetlabs.com/puppet/python)
-[![Puppet Forge - downloads](https://img.shields.io/puppetforge/dt/puppet/python.svg)](https://forge.puppetlabs.com/puppet/python)
-[![Puppet Forge - endorsement](https://img.shields.io/puppetforge/e/puppet/python.svg)](https://forge.puppetlabs.com/puppet/python)
-[![Puppet Forge - scores](https://img.shields.io/puppetforge/f/puppet/python.svg)](https://forge.puppetlabs.com/puppet/python)
+This module is a fork of https://github.com/voxpupuli/puppet-python with modification to
+manifests/virtualenv.pp to support specific pip versions.
 
 Puppet module for installing and managing python, pip, virtualenvs and Gunicorn virtual hosts.
 
diff --git a/manifests/virtualenv.pp b/manifests/virtualenv.pp
index ebc22498..e31852bd 100644
--- a/manifests/virtualenv.pp
+++ b/manifests/virtualenv.pp
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@
   $path                            = [ '/bin', '/usr/bin', '/usr/sbin', '/usr/local/bin' ],
   $cwd                             = undef,
   $timeout                         = 1800,
+  $pip_version                     = '--upgrade pip',
   $pip_args                        = '',
   $extra_pip_args                  = '',
   $virtualenv                      = undef,
@@ -137,7 +138,7 @@
     $pip_flags = "${pypi_index} ${proxy_flag} ${pip_args}"
 
     exec { "python_virtualenv_${venv_dir}":
-      command     => "${virtualenv_cmd} ${system_pkgs_flag} -p ${python} ${venv_dir} && ${pip_cmd} --log ${venv_dir}/pip.log install ${pip_flags} --upgrade pip && ${pip_cmd} install ${pip_flags} --upgrade ${distribute_pkg}",
+      command     => "${virtualenv_cmd} ${system_pkgs_flag} -p ${python} ${venv_dir} && ${pip_cmd} --log ${venv_dir}/pip.log install ${pip_flags} ${pip_version} && ${pip_cmd} install ${pip_flags} --upgrade ${distribute_pkg}",
       user        => $owner,
       creates     => "${venv_dir}/bin/activate",
       path        => $_path,