diff --git a/pillar.example b/pillar.example
index 614cc7d..8d06db4 100644
--- a/pillar.example
+++ b/pillar.example
@@ -38,6 +38,10 @@ salt:
       debug: False
       disable_ssl: False
 
+  api:
+    # Installs the latest version of cherrpy/tornado from pip.
+    use_pip: True
+
   # salt minion config:
   minion:
 
diff --git a/salt/api.sls b/salt/api.sls
index 9c1fa13..3314a26 100644
--- a/salt/api.sls
+++ b/salt/api.sls
@@ -2,12 +2,15 @@
 
 {% from "salt/map.jinja" import salt_settings with context %}
 
-include:
-  - salt.master
-  - pip.extensions
-
 {%- set cfg_salt = pillar.get('salt', {}) %}
 {%- set cfg_master = cfg_salt.get('master', {}) %}
+{%- set use_pip = salt['pillar.get']('salt:api:use_pip', False) %}
+
+include:
+  - salt.master
+{%- if use_pip %}
+  - pip.extensions
+{%- endif %}
 
 salt_api_install:
   pkg.installed:
@@ -15,20 +18,31 @@ salt_api_install:
   service.running:
     - name: {{ salt_settings.get('api_service', 'salt-api') }}
     - require:
+{%- if use_pip %}
 {%- if 'rest_cherrypy' in cfg_master %}
       - pip: salt_api_cherrypy
-{% elif 'rest_tornado' in cfg_master %}
+{%- elif 'rest_tornado' in cfg_master %}
       - pip: salt_api_tornado
-{% endif %}
+{%- endif %}
+{%- else %} # if use_pip
+{%- if 'rest_cherrypy' in cfg_master %}
+      - pkg: salt_api_cherrypy
+{%- elif 'rest_tornado' in cfg_master %}
+      - pkg: salt_api_tornado
+{%- endif %}
+{%- endif %}
     - watch:
       - pkg: salt-master
       - file: salt-master
 
+{%- if use_pip %}
 {%- if 'rest_cherrypy' in cfg_master %}
 salt_api_cherrypy:
-  pkg.purged:
-    - name: {{ salt_settings['python-cherrypy'] }}
-  pip.installed:
+  pkg:
+    - purged
+    - name: {{ salt_settings['python_cherrypy'] }}
+  pip:
+    - installed
     - name: cherrypy
     - require:
       - pkg: salt_api_cherrypy
@@ -37,11 +51,30 @@ salt_api_cherrypy:
 
 {%- if 'rest_tornado' in cfg_master %}
 salt_api_tornado:
-  pkg.purged:
-    - name: {{ salt_settings['python-tornado'] }}
-  pip.installed:
+  pkg:
+    - purged
+    - name: {{ salt_settings['python_tornado'] }}
+  pip:
+    - installed
     - name: tornado
     - require:
       - pkg: salt_api_tornado
       - pkg: pip_extensions
 {% endif %}
+
+{%- else %} # if use_pip
+
+{% if 'rest_cherrypy' in cfg_master %}
+salt_api_cherrypy:
+  pkg:
+    - installed
+    - name: {{ salt_settings['python_cherrypy'] }}
+{% endif %}
+
+{% if 'rest_tornado' in cfg_master %}
+salt_api_tornado:
+  pkg:
+    - installed
+    - name: {{ salt_settings['python_tornado'] }}
+{% endif %}
+{%- endif %}
diff --git a/salt/defaults.yaml b/salt/defaults.yaml
index 2c61f12..4b4562c 100644
--- a/salt/defaults.yaml
+++ b/salt/defaults.yaml
@@ -18,8 +18,8 @@ salt:
   salt_api: salt-api
   salt_ssh: salt-ssh
 
-  python-cherrypy: python-cherrypy
-  python-tornado: python-tornado
+  python_cherrypy: python-cherrypy
+  python_tornado: python-tornado
 
   master:
     gitfs_provider: gitpython