diff --git a/group_vars/all.sample b/group_vars/all.sample
index 626a7a429..8d4d10119 100644
--- a/group_vars/all.sample
+++ b/group_vars/all.sample
@@ -34,6 +34,11 @@ dummy:
 #mds_group_name: mdss
 #restapi_group_name: restapis
 
+# This variable determines if ceph packages can be updated.  If False, the
+# package resources will use "state=present".  If True, they will use
+# "state=latest".
+#upgrade_ceph_packages: False
+
 # /!\ EITHER ACTIVE ceph_stable OR ceph_stable_ice OR ceph_dev /!\
 
 #debian_package_dependencies:
diff --git a/roles/ceph-common/defaults/main.yml b/roles/ceph-common/defaults/main.yml
index fb31aa836..d8bb1f380 100644
--- a/roles/ceph-common/defaults/main.yml
+++ b/roles/ceph-common/defaults/main.yml
@@ -31,6 +31,11 @@ rgw_group_name: rgws
 mds_group_name: mdss
 restapi_group_name: restapis
 
+# This variable determines if ceph packages can be updated.  If False, the
+# package resources will use "state=present".  If True, they will use
+# "state=latest".
+upgrade_ceph_packages: False
+
 # /!\ EITHER ACTIVE ceph_stable OR ceph_stable_ice OR ceph_dev /!\
 
 debian_package_dependencies:
diff --git a/roles/ceph-common/tasks/installs/install_on_debian.yml b/roles/ceph-common/tasks/installs/install_on_debian.yml
index 7a88310c7..5f9157e3c 100644
--- a/roles/ceph-common/tasks/installs/install_on_debian.yml
+++ b/roles/ceph-common/tasks/installs/install_on_debian.yml
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
 - name: install ceph
   apt:
     pkg: "{{ item }}"
-    state: latest
+    state: "{{ (upgrade_ceph_packages|bool) | ternary('latest','present') }}"
     default_release: "{{ ansible_distribution_release }}{{ '-backports' if ceph_origin == 'distro' and ceph_use_distro_backports else ''}}"
   with_items:
     - ceph
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@
 - name: install rados gateway
   apt:
     pkg: radosgw
-    state: latest
+    state: "{{ (upgrade_ceph_packages|bool) | ternary('latest','present') }}"
     update_cache: yes
   when:
     rgw_group_name in group_names
diff --git a/roles/ceph-common/tasks/installs/install_on_redhat.yml b/roles/ceph-common/tasks/installs/install_on_redhat.yml
index 0eacdb733..5e7018d51 100644
--- a/roles/ceph-common/tasks/installs/install_on_redhat.yml
+++ b/roles/ceph-common/tasks/installs/install_on_redhat.yml
@@ -20,13 +20,13 @@
 - name: install ceph
   yum:
     name: ceph
-    state: latest
+    state: "{{ (upgrade_ceph_packages|bool) | ternary('latest','present') }}"
   when: not ceph_stable_rh_storage
 
 - name: install red hat storage ceph mon
   yum:
     name: "{{ item }}"
-    state: latest
+    state: "{{ (upgrade_ceph_packages|bool) | ternary('latest','present') }}"
   with_items:
     - ceph
     - ceph-mon
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@
 - name: install red hat storage ceph mon
   dnf:
     name: "{{ item }}"
-    state: latest
+    state: "{{ (upgrade_ceph_packages|bool) | ternary('latest','present') }}"
   with_items:
     - ceph
     - ceph-mon
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@
 - name: install red hat storage ceph osd
   yum:
     name: "{{ item }}"
-    state: latest
+    state: "{{ (upgrade_ceph_packages|bool) | ternary('latest','present') }}"
   with_items:
     - ceph
     - ceph-osd
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@
 - name: install red hat storage ceph osd
   dnf:
     name: "{{ item }}"
-    state: latest
+    state: "{{ (upgrade_ceph_packages|bool) | ternary('latest','present') }}"
   with_items:
     - ceph
     - ceph-osd
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@
 - name: install rados gateway
   yum:
     name: ceph-radosgw
-    state: latest
+    state: "{{ (upgrade_ceph_packages|bool) | ternary('latest','present') }}"
   when:
     rgw_group_name in group_names and
     ansible_pkg_mgr == "yum"
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@
 - name: install rados gateway
   dnf:
     name: ceph-radosgw
-    state: latest
+    state: "{{ (upgrade_ceph_packages|bool) | ternary('latest','present') }}"
   when:
     rgw_group_name in group_names and
     ansible_pkg_mgr == "dnf"
diff --git a/rolling_update.yml b/rolling_update.yml
index eb9c12792..7e89c4b43 100644
--- a/rolling_update.yml
+++ b/rolling_update.yml
@@ -16,6 +16,8 @@
 - hosts: mons
   serial: 1
   sudo: True
+  vars:
+    upgrade_ceph_packages: True
 
   pre_tasks:
     - name: Compress the store as much as possible
@@ -74,6 +76,8 @@
 - hosts: osds
   serial: 1
   sudo: True
+  vars:
+    upgrade_ceph_packages: True
 
   pre_tasks:
     - name: Set OSD flags
@@ -133,6 +137,8 @@
 - hosts: mdss
   serial: 1
   sudo: True
+  vars:
+    upgrade_ceph_packages: True
 
   roles:
     - ceph-common
@@ -167,6 +173,8 @@
 - hosts: rgws
   serial: 1
   sudo: True
+  vars:
+    upgrade_ceph_packages: True
 
   roles:
     - ceph-common