diff --git a/README.rst b/README.rst
index ec4f666..f63aa65 100644
--- a/README.rst
+++ b/README.rst
@@ -45,6 +45,18 @@
         minions:
         - name: 'node1.system.location.domain.com'
 
+Salt master with alternative installation source and version (optional) - pip
+
+.. code-block:: yaml
+
+    salt:
+      master:
+        enabled: true
+        ...
+        source:
+          engine: pip
+          version: 2016.3.0rc2
+
 Salt master syndicate master of masters
 
 .. code-block:: yaml
@@ -216,4 +228,4 @@
               image: ubuntu-14-04-x64-1456128611.qcow2
               size: medium
               disk_profile: database
-              net_profile: testing
\ No newline at end of file
+              net_profile: testing
diff --git a/metadata/service/master/cluster.yml b/metadata/service/master/cluster.yml
index da339d2..69d192b 100644
--- a/metadata/service/master/cluster.yml
+++ b/metadata/service/master/cluster.yml
@@ -8,5 +8,7 @@
   salt:
     master:
       enabled: true
+      source:
+        engine: pkg
       command_timeout: 5
-      worker_threads: 2
\ No newline at end of file
+      worker_threads: 2
diff --git a/metadata/service/master/single.yml b/metadata/service/master/single.yml
index a0033f9..b1a0e67 100644
--- a/metadata/service/master/single.yml
+++ b/metadata/service/master/single.yml
@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@
   salt:
     master:
       enabled: true
+      source:
+        engine: pkg
       command_timeout: 5
       worker_threads: 2
-      base_environment: ${_param:salt_master_base_environment}
\ No newline at end of file
+      base_environment: ${_param:salt_master_base_environment}
diff --git a/metadata/service/minion/cluster.yml b/metadata/service/minion/cluster.yml
index 2bc0513..91aaaaa 100644
--- a/metadata/service/minion/cluster.yml
+++ b/metadata/service/minion/cluster.yml
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@
   salt:
     minion:
       enabled: true
+      source:
+        engine: pkg
       masters:
         - host: ${_param:salt_master_host}
         - host: ${_param:salt_master_host}
diff --git a/metadata/service/minion/local.yml b/metadata/service/minion/local.yml
index 74e956f..93d7772 100644
--- a/metadata/service/minion/local.yml
+++ b/metadata/service/minion/local.yml
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@
   salt:
     minion:
       enabled: true
+      source:
+        engine: pkg
       local: true
       pillar:
         engine: reclass
diff --git a/metadata/service/minion/master.yml b/metadata/service/minion/master.yml
index c578635..3a8561a 100644
--- a/metadata/service/minion/master.yml
+++ b/metadata/service/minion/master.yml
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@
   salt:
     minion:
       enabled: true
+      source:
+        engine: pkg
       master:
         host: ${_param:salt_master_host}
       mine:
diff --git a/salt/api.sls b/salt/api.sls
index 5d53d9d..4e3fe4a 100644
--- a/salt/api.sls
+++ b/salt/api.sls
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
   pkg.installed
   - names: {{ api.pkgs }}
   - require:
-    - pkg: salt_master_packages
+    - {{ master.install_state }}
 
 salt_api_service:
   service.running:
@@ -18,4 +18,4 @@
   - watch:
     - file: /etc/salt/master
 
-{%- endif %}
\ No newline at end of file
+{%- endif %}
diff --git a/salt/map.jinja b/salt/map.jinja
index 9ba416a..c1e8e1a 100644
--- a/salt/map.jinja
+++ b/salt/map.jinja
@@ -2,6 +2,16 @@
 {%- load_yaml as master_common %}
 default:
   service: salt-master
+  {%- if pillar.salt.master is defined %}
+  {%- if pillar.salt.master.source.engine == 'pkg' %}
+  install_state: "pkg: salt_master_packages"
+  {%- elif pillar.salt.master.source.engine == 'pip' %}
+  install_state: "pip: salt_master_packages"
+  {%- endif %}
+  {%- endif %}
+  {%- if pillar.salt.master.source.version is defined %}
+  version: {{ pillar.salt.master.source.version }}
+  {%- endif %}
   accept_policy: preseed
   bind: {}
   formula: {}
@@ -43,6 +53,16 @@
   - python-yaml
   graph_states: False
   service: salt-minion
+  {%- if pillar.salt.minion is defined %}
+  {%- if pillar.salt.minion.source.engine == 'pkg' %}
+  install_state: "pkg: salt_minion_packages"
+  {%- elif pillar.salt.minion.source.engine == 'pip' %}
+  install_state: "pip: salt_minion_packages"
+  {%- endif %}
+  {%- endif %}
+  {%- if pillar.salt.minion.source.version is defined %}
+  version: {{ pillar.salt.minion.source.version }}
+  {%- endif %}
 {%- endload %}
 
 {%- load_yaml as minion_specific %}
diff --git a/salt/master/api.sls b/salt/master/api.sls
index 4583b04..c60f24a 100644
--- a/salt/master/api.sls
+++ b/salt/master/api.sls
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
   - names:
     - salt-api
   - require:
-    - pkg: salt_master_packages
+    - {{ master.install_state }}
 
 salt_api_service:
   service.running:
diff --git a/salt/master/minion.sls b/salt/master/minion.sls
index d797b9f..50fc63e 100644
--- a/salt/master/minion.sls
+++ b/salt/master/minion.sls
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
   file.directory:
   - makedirs: true
   - require:
-    - pkg: salt_master_packages
+    - {{ master.install_state }}
 
 {%- for name, environment in master.environment.iteritems() %}
 
diff --git a/salt/master/service.sls b/salt/master/service.sls
index 76f3ca2..29e59b4 100644
--- a/salt/master/service.sls
+++ b/salt/master/service.sls
@@ -1,9 +1,22 @@
 {%- from "salt/map.jinja" import master with context %}
 {%- if master.enabled %}
 
+{%- if master.source.get('engine', 'pkg') == 'pkg' %}
+
 salt_master_packages:
   pkg.latest:
   - names: {{ master.pkgs }}
+  {%- if master.source.version is defined %}
+  - version: {{ master.source.version }}
+  {%- endif %}
+
+{%- elif master.source.get('engine', 'pkg') == 'pip' %}
+
+salt_master_packages:
+  pip.installed:
+  - name: salt{% if master.source.version is defined %}=={{ master.source.version }}{% endif %}
+
+{%- endif %}
 
 /etc/salt/master.d/master.conf:
   file.managed:
@@ -11,7 +24,7 @@
   - user: root
   - template: jinja
   - require:
-    - pkg: salt_master_packages
+    - {{ master.install_state }}
   - watch_in:
     - service: salt_master_service
 
@@ -23,7 +36,7 @@
   - user: root
   - template: jinja
   - require:
-    - pkg: salt_master_packages
+    - {{ master.install_state }}
   - watch_in:
     - service: salt_master_service
 
@@ -40,4 +53,4 @@
   - mode: 755
   - makedirs: true
 
-{%- endif %}
\ No newline at end of file
+{%- endif %}
diff --git a/salt/minion/ca.sls b/salt/minion/ca.sls
index 196359d..9966293 100644
--- a/salt/minion/ca.sls
+++ b/salt/minion/ca.sls
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
   - source: salt://salt/files/_pki.conf
   - template: jinja
   - require:
-    - pkg: salt_minion_packages
+    - {{ minion.install_state }}
   - watch_in:
     - service: salt_minion_service
 
diff --git a/salt/minion/grains.sls b/salt/minion/grains.sls
index f1003b1..af57b34 100644
--- a/salt/minion/grains.sls
+++ b/salt/minion/grains.sls
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
   - makedirs: true
   - user: root
   - require:
-    - pkg: salt_minion_packages
+    - {{ minion.install_state }}
 
 salt_minion_grains_placeholder:
   file.touch:
diff --git a/salt/minion/graph.sls b/salt/minion/graph.sls
index 440bad2..8587301 100644
--- a/salt/minion/graph.sls
+++ b/salt/minion/graph.sls
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
   pkg.latest:
   - names: {{ minion.graph_pkgs }}
   - require:
-    - pkg: salt_minion_packages
+    - {{ minion.install_state }}
 
 salt_graph_states_packages:
   pkg.latest:
diff --git a/salt/minion/service.sls b/salt/minion/service.sls
index 1f7ce58..5c458b1 100644
--- a/salt/minion/service.sls
+++ b/salt/minion/service.sls
@@ -1,9 +1,22 @@
 {%- from "salt/map.jinja" import minion with context %}
 {%- if minion.enabled %}
 
+{%- if minion.source.get('engine', 'pkg') == 'pkg' %}
+
 salt_minion_packages:
   pkg.latest:
   - names: {{ minion.pkgs }}
+  {%- if minion.source.version is defined %}
+  - version: {{ minion.source.version }}
+  {%- endif %}
+
+{%- elif minion.source.get('engine', 'pkg') == 'pip' %}
+
+salt_minion_packages:
+  pip.installed:
+  - name: salt{% if minion.source.version is defined %}=={{ minion.source.version }}{% endif %}
+
+{%- endif %}
 
 /etc/salt/minion.d/minion.conf:
   file.managed:
@@ -12,7 +25,7 @@
   - group: root
   - template: jinja
   - require:
-    - pkg: salt_minion_packages
+    - {{ minion.install_state }}
   - watch_in:
     - service: salt_minion_service
 
@@ -21,4 +34,4 @@
   - name: {{ minion.service }}
   - enable: true
 
-{%- endif %}
\ No newline at end of file
+{%- endif %}