diff --git a/README.rst b/README.rst
index deea666..1bd14e3 100644
--- a/README.rst
+++ b/README.rst
@@ -40,6 +40,11 @@ Installs the php-cgi package.
 
 Installs the php-cli package.
 
+``php.composer``
+-----------
+
+Installs [composer](https://getcomposer.org) and keeps it updated.
+
 ``php.curl``
 ------------
 
diff --git a/php/composer.sls b/php/composer.sls
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..530c723
--- /dev/null
+++ b/php/composer.sls
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+{% from "php/map.jinja" import php with context %}
+{% set install_file = php.local_bin + '/composer' %}
+
+include:
+  - php
+
+get-composer:
+  cmd.run:
+    - name: 'CURL=`which curl`; $CURL -sS https://getcomposer.org/installer | php'
+    - unless: test -f {{ install_file }}
+    - cwd: {{ php.temp_dir }}
+    - require:
+      - pkg: php
+
+install-composer:
+  cmd.wait:
+    - name: mv {{ php.temp_dir }}/composer.phar {{ install_file }}
+    - cwd: {{ php.temp_dir }}
+    - watch:
+      - cmd: get-composer
+
+# Get COMPOSER_DEV_WARNING_TIME from the installed composer, and if that time has passed
+# then it's time to run `composer selfupdate`
+#
+# It would be nice if composer had a command line switch to get this, but it doesn't,
+# and so we just grep for it.
+#
+update-composer:
+  cmd.run:
+    - name: "{{ install_file }} selfupdate"
+    - unless: test $(grep --text COMPOSER_DEV_WARNING_TIME {{ install_file }} | egrep '^\s*define' | sed -e 's,[^[:digit:]],,g') \> $(php -r 'echo time();')
+    - cwd: {{ php.temp_dir }}
+    - require:
+      - cmd: install-composer
diff --git a/php/map.jinja b/php/map.jinja
index 0c7b677..5491117 100644
--- a/php/map.jinja
+++ b/php/map.jinja
@@ -32,6 +32,8 @@
         'mongo_pecl': 'mongo',
         'mongo_ext': 'mongo.so',
         'ext_conf_path': '/etc/php5/mods-available',
+        'local_bin': '/usr/local/bin',
+        'temp_dir': '/tmp',
     },
     'RedHat': {
         'php_pkg': 'php',
@@ -66,5 +68,7 @@
         'mongo_pecl': 'mongo',
         'mongo_ext': 'mongo.so',
         'ext_conf_path': '/etc/php5/conf.d',
+        'local_bin': '/usr/local/bin',
+        'temp_dir': '/tmp',
     },
 }, merge=salt['pillar.get']('php:lookup')) %}