diff --git a/defaults/main.yml b/defaults/main.yml
index 3a189746..b0f9f694 100644
--- a/defaults/main.yml
+++ b/defaults/main.yml
@@ -72,6 +72,9 @@ rabbitmq_erlang_repo_url: "{{ _rabbitmq_erlang_repo_url }}"
 # Set the repo information for the Erlang repository
 rabbitmq_erlang_repo: "{{ _rabbitmq_erlang_repo }}"
 
+# Set the elang version used on the deployment
+rabbitmq_erlang_version_spec: "{{ _rabbitmq_erlang_version_spec | default(null) }}"
+
 # Choose file, distro, external_repo for rabbitmq_install_method.
 rabbitmq_install_method: "{{ _rabbitmq_install_method }}"
 
diff --git a/meta/main.yml b/meta/main.yml
index ef6d38f6..bb027f0b 100644
--- a/meta/main.yml
+++ b/meta/main.yml
@@ -36,15 +36,4 @@ galaxy_info:
     - rabbitmq
     - development
     - openstack
-dependencies:
-  - role: apt_package_pinning
-    apt_package_pinning_file_name: "rabbitmq.pref"
-    apt_package_pinning_priority: 999
-    apt_pinned_packages:
-      - package: "*"
-        release: "Erlang Solutions Ltd."
-      - package: "erlang*"
-        version: "1:19.3*"
-        priority: 1000
-    when:
-      - ansible_pkg_mgr == 'apt'
+dependencies: []
diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/elang-version-2c1135466ef94032.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/elang-version-2c1135466ef94032.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..5afeb0a3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/elang-version-2c1135466ef94032.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+---
+features:
+  - The option ``rabbitmq_erlang_version_spec`` has been added allowing
+    deployers to set the version of erlang used on a given installation.
+deprecations:
+  - The use of the ``apt_package_pinning`` role as a meta dependency
+    has been removed from the rabbitmq_server role. While the package
+    pinning role is still used, it will now only be executed when the
+    apt task file is executed.
diff --git a/tasks/install_apt.yml b/tasks/install_apt.yml
index dca3c2b4..21687a79 100644
--- a/tasks/install_apt.yml
+++ b/tasks/install_apt.yml
@@ -13,6 +13,20 @@
 # See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 # limitations under the License.
 
+- name: Run the apt package pinning role
+  include_role:
+    name: apt_package_pinning
+    private: true
+  vars:
+    apt_package_pinning_file_name: "rabbitmq.pref"
+    apt_package_pinning_priority: 999
+    apt_pinned_packages:
+      - package: "*"
+        release: "Erlang Solutions Ltd."
+      - package: "erlang*"
+        version: "{{ rabbitmq_erlang_version_spec }}"
+        priority: 1000
+
 - block:
     - name: Add rabbitmq apt-keys
       apt_key:
diff --git a/tasks/install_yum.yml b/tasks/install_yum.yml
index 08780dd2..d346e0a5 100644
--- a/tasks/install_yum.yml
+++ b/tasks/install_yum.yml
@@ -113,8 +113,10 @@
   when:
     - item.pkg_spec not in yum_versionlock_list.stdout
   with_items:
-    - { 'pkg_name': 'erlang', 'pkg_spec': "erlang-19*" }
-    - { 'pkg_name': 'rabbitmq-server', 'pkg_spec': "rabbitmq-server-{{ rabbitmq_release_version }}*" }
+    - pkg_name: 'erlang'
+      pkg_spec: "{{ rabbitmq_erlang_version_spec }}"
+    - pkg_name: 'rabbitmq-server'
+      pkg_spec: "rabbitmq-server-{{ rabbitmq_release_version }}*"
   tags:
     - rabbitmq-yum-packages
 
diff --git a/tests/ansible-role-requirements.yml b/tests/ansible-role-requirements.yml
index 5851c335..b6dbe377 100644
--- a/tests/ansible-role-requirements.yml
+++ b/tests/ansible-role-requirements.yml
@@ -21,4 +21,4 @@
 - name: previous_rabbitmq_server
   src: https://git.openstack.org/openstack/openstack-ansible-rabbitmq_server
   scm: git
-  version: stable/pike
+  version: stable/queens
diff --git a/tests/rabbitmq_server-upgrade-overrides.yml b/tests/rabbitmq_server-upgrade-overrides.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..657ad9e6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/rabbitmq_server-upgrade-overrides.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+rabbitmq_cookie_token: secrete
+rabbitmq_ssl_cert: /etc/rabbitmq/rabbitmq.pem
+rabbitmq_ssl_key: /etc/rabbitmq/rabbitmq.key
+
+rabbitmq_hipe_compile: True
+
+rabbitmq_erlang_version_spec: "{{ (ansible_pkg_mgr == 'apt') | ternary('1:19.3*','erlang-19*') }}"
diff --git a/tox.ini b/tox.ini
index 262793f6..d4659e3b 100644
--- a/tox.ini
+++ b/tox.ini
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ deps =
     {[testenv:ansible]deps}
 setenv =
     {[testenv]setenv}
-    ANSIBLE_OVERRIDES={toxinidir}/tests/rabbitmq_server-overrides.yml
+    ANSIBLE_OVERRIDES={toxinidir}/tests/rabbitmq_server-upgrade-overrides.yml
     CLONE_UPGRADE_TESTS=yes
 commands =
     bash -c "{toxinidir}/tests/test-rabbitmq-upgrades.sh"
diff --git a/vars/debian.yml b/vars/debian.yml
index e9cbe2ff..5eb2725f 100644
--- a/vars/debian.yml
+++ b/vars/debian.yml
@@ -42,6 +42,8 @@ _rabbitmq_erlang_repo:
   state: "present"
   filename: els_erlang
 
+_rabbitmq_erlang_version_spec: "1:20.1*"
+
 rabbitmq_dependencies:
   - erlang-base-hipe
   - erlang-nox
diff --git a/vars/redhat.yml b/vars/redhat.yml
index 9c4d0547..a9c33eb5 100644
--- a/vars/redhat.yml
+++ b/vars/redhat.yml
@@ -46,6 +46,8 @@ _rabbitmq_erlang_repo:
   state: "present"
   filename: els-erlang
 
+_rabbitmq_erlang_version_spec: "erlang-20.1*"
+
 rabbitmq_distro_packages:
   - openssl
   - rabbitmq-server