diff --git a/defaults/main.yml b/defaults/main.yml
index 04695f3..7562474 100644
--- a/defaults/main.yml
+++ b/defaults/main.yml
@@ -13,6 +13,18 @@
 # See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 # limitations under the License.
 
+# Name of the virtual env to deploy into
+swift_venv_tag: untagged
+swift_venv_bin: "/openstack/venvs/swift-{{ swift_venv_tag }}/bin"
+
+# Set this to enable or disable installing in a venv
+swift_venv_enabled: true
+
+# The bin path defaults to the venv path however if installation in a
+#  venv is disabled the bin path will be dynamically set based on the
+#  system path used when the installing.
+swift_bin: "{{ swift_venv_bin }}"
+
 # Set the managed regions as a list of swift regions to manage
 # Use for global clusters, default when not set is all regions.
 # swift_managed_regions:
diff --git a/tasks/main.yml b/tasks/main.yml
index 84fe204..f16bced 100644
--- a/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/tasks/main.yml
@@ -13,6 +13,8 @@
 # See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 # limitations under the License.
 
+- include: swift_command_check.yml
+
 - include: swift_key_setup.yml
   tags:
     - swift-key
diff --git a/tasks/swift_command_check.yml b/tasks/swift_command_check.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..56ac4bb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tasks/swift_command_check.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+---
+# Copyright 2015, Rackspace US, Inc.
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+# You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+#     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+# limitations under the License.
+
+- name: Get swift command path
+  command: which swift
+  register: swift_command_path
+  when:
+    - not swift_venv_enabled | bool
+  tags:
+    - swift-command-bin
+
+- name: Set swift command path
+  set_fact:
+    swift_bin: "{{ swift_command_path.stdout | dirname }}"
+  when:
+    - not swift_venv_enabled | bool
+  tags:
+    - swift-command-bin
diff --git a/tasks/swift_rings_build.yml b/tasks/swift_rings_build.yml
index 1cc5320..65bdb15 100644
--- a/tasks/swift_rings_build.yml
+++ b/tasks/swift_rings_build.yml
@@ -14,8 +14,8 @@
 # limitations under the License.
 
 - name: "Copy the swift_rings.py file"
-  copy:
-    src: swift_rings.py
+  template:
+    src: swift_rings.py.j2
     dest: "/etc/swift/scripts/swift_rings.py"
     owner: "{{ swift_system_user_name }}"
     group: "{{ swift_system_group_name }}"
diff --git a/tasks/swift_rings_post_distribution_check.yml b/tasks/swift_rings_post_distribution_check.yml
index a8a36ee..371e9c8 100644
--- a/tasks/swift_rings_post_distribution_check.yml
+++ b/tasks/swift_rings_post_distribution_check.yml
@@ -33,8 +33,8 @@
     - swift-ring-check
 
 - name: "Copy the swift_rings_check.py file"
-  copy:
-    src: swift_rings_check.py
+  template:
+    src: swift_rings_check.py.j2
     dest: "/etc/swift/scripts/swift_rings_check.py"
     owner: "{{ swift_system_user_name }}"
     group: "{{ swift_system_group_name }}"
diff --git a/files/swift_rings.py b/templates/swift_rings.py.j2
similarity index 97%
rename from files/swift_rings.py
rename to templates/swift_rings.py.j2
index f415a44..ad3cfb8 100644
--- a/files/swift_rings.py
+++ b/templates/swift_rings.py.j2
@@ -16,6 +16,16 @@
 from __future__ import print_function
 from optparse import OptionParser
 from os.path import exists
+
+import os
+
+{% if swift_venv_enabled | bool %}
+
+activate_this = os.path.expanduser("{{ swift_venv_bin }}/activate_this.py")
+execfile(activate_this, dict(__file__=activate_this))
+
+{% endif %}
+
 from swift.cli.ringbuilder import main as rb_main
 
 import json
diff --git a/files/swift_rings_check.py b/templates/swift_rings_check.py.j2
similarity index 97%
rename from files/swift_rings_check.py
rename to templates/swift_rings_check.py.j2
index 24cb296..827c05d 100644
--- a/files/swift_rings_check.py
+++ b/templates/swift_rings_check.py.j2
@@ -17,6 +17,15 @@ from __future__ import print_function
 from optparse import OptionParser
 from os.path import exists
 
+import os
+
+{% if swift_venv_enabled | bool %}
+
+activate_this = os.path.expanduser("{{ swift_venv_bin }}/activate_this.py")
+execfile(activate_this, dict(__file__=activate_this))
+
+{% endif %}
+
 import json
 import pickle
 import sys