diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index e121b69..415c63f 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -87,7 +87,8 @@ $ git clone https://github.com/borgbase/ansible-role-borgbackup.git roles/ansibl
 - `ssh_key_file`: Path to a private ssh key file (default is `.ssh/id_ed25519`). It generates a ed25519 key if the file doesn't exist yet.
 - `borg_version`: Force a specific borg version to be installed
 - `borgmatic_version`: Force a specific borgmatic version to be installed
-
+- `borg_install_method`: By default `pip` is used to install borgmatic. To install via your distributions package manager set this to `package` and (if needed) overwrite the `borg_distro_packages` variable to contain your distributions package names required to install borgmatic. Note that many distributions ship outdated versions of borgbackup and borgmatic; use at your own risk.
+- `borg_distro_packages`: contains the names of distributions packages for `borg(backup)` and `borgmatic`, only used if `borg_install_method` is set to `package`.
 
 ## Contributing
 
diff --git a/defaults/main.yml b/defaults/main.yml
index f734524..6918f3f 100755
--- a/defaults/main.yml
+++ b/defaults/main.yml
@@ -35,7 +35,6 @@ borgmatic_cron_minute: "{{ 59 | random(seed=inventory_hostname) }}"
 borgmatic_cron_checks_day: "{{ range(1, 28) | random(seed=inventory_hostname) }}"
 borgmatic_cron_checks_hour: "{{ range(9, 24) | random(seed=inventory_hostname) }}"
 borgmatic_cron_checks_minute: "{{ 59 | random(seed=inventory_hostname) }}"
-
-
 borg_version: false
-borgmatic_version: false
\ No newline at end of file
+borgmatic_version: false
+borg_install_method: pip
diff --git a/molecule/default/Dockerfile.j2 b/molecule/default/Dockerfile.j2
index 59f32cd..0b331c5 100644
--- a/molecule/default/Dockerfile.j2
+++ b/molecule/default/Dockerfile.j2
@@ -14,10 +14,10 @@ ENV {{ var }} {{ value }}
 {% endfor %}
 {% endif %}
 
-RUN if [ $(command -v apt-get) ]; then apt-get update && apt-get install -y python3 sudo bash ca-certificates iproute2 python3-apt aptitude && apt-get clean; \
+RUN if [ $(command -v apt-get) ]; then apt-get update && apt-get install -y python3 python3-pip sudo bash ca-certificates iproute2 python3-apt aptitude && apt-get clean; \
     elif [ $(command -v dnf) ]; then dnf makecache && dnf --assumeyes install /usr/bin/python3 /usr/bin/python3-config /usr/bin/dnf-3 sudo bash iproute && dnf clean all; \
     elif [ $(command -v yum) ]; then yum makecache fast && yum install -y /usr/bin/python /usr/bin/python2-config sudo yum-plugin-ovl bash iproute && sed -i 's/plugins=0/plugins=1/g' /etc/yum.conf && yum clean all; \
     elif [ $(command -v zypper) ]; then zypper refresh && zypper install -y python sudo bash python-xml iproute2 && zypper clean -a; \
     elif [ $(command -v apk) ]; then apk update && apk add --no-cache python sudo bash ca-certificates; \
-    elif [ $(command -v pacman) ]; then pacman --noconfirm -Suy python sudo openssh; \
+    elif [ $(command -v pacman) ]; then pacman --noconfirm -Suy python python-pip sudo openssh; \
     elif [ $(command -v xbps-install) ]; then xbps-install -Syu && xbps-install -y python sudo bash ca-certificates iproute2 && xbps-remove -O; fi
diff --git a/molecule/default/converge.yml b/molecule/default/converge.yml
index 5477b13..e5b47d2 100644
--- a/molecule/default/converge.yml
+++ b/molecule/default/converge.yml
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@
         - name: users
           hostname: database1.example.org
           port: 5433
+      borg_install_method: pip
 
   post_tasks:
   - name: Install yamllint for checking config file
diff --git a/tasks/Archlinux.yml b/tasks/Archlinux.yml
deleted file mode 100644
index ed97d53..0000000
--- a/tasks/Archlinux.yml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
----
diff --git a/tasks/Debian.yml b/tasks/Debian.yml
deleted file mode 100644
index 73b314f..0000000
--- a/tasks/Debian.yml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
----
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tasks/RedHat.yml b/tasks/RedHat.yml
deleted file mode 100644
index ed97d53..0000000
--- a/tasks/RedHat.yml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
----
diff --git a/tasks/install_package.yml b/tasks/install_package.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f153ecb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tasks/install_package.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+---
+- name: Check if EPEL repo is enabled, if installation from distro is requested
+  when: ansible_os_family == 'RedHat'
+  block:
+  - name: Get list of installed packages
+    ansible.builtin.package_facts:
+      manager: auto
+  - name: Ensure EPEL is enabled
+    ansible.builtin.assert:
+      that:
+        - "'epel-release' in ansible_facts.packages"
+      fail_msg: Need EPEL repo to install via distro package.
+
+- name: Install borgmatic and borg via distribution package manager
+  package:
+    name: "{{ item }}"
+    state: present
+  loop: "{{ borg_distro_packages }}"
diff --git a/tasks/install_pip.yml b/tasks/install_pip.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1f72f39
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tasks/install_pip.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+---
+- name: Install build dependencies
+  package:
+    name: "{{ borg_pip_packages }}"
+    state: present
+
+- name: Create virtualenv for borg  # noqa package-latest
+  pip:
+    name:
+    - pip
+    - setuptools
+    state: latest
+    virtualenv: /opt/borgmatic
+    virtualenv_command: "{{ python_bin }} -m venv"
+
+- name: Install dependent Python Packages
+  pip:
+    name: "{{ borg_dependent_python_packages }}"
+    virtualenv: /opt/borgmatic
+  when: borg_dependent_python_packages is defined
+
+- name: Install main Python Packages
+  pip:
+    name: "{{ item.name }}"
+    version: "{{ item.version | default(omit, true) }}"
+    virtualenv: /opt/borgmatic
+  when: borg_python_packages is defined
+  loop: "{{ borg_python_packages }}"
+
+- name: Create borgmatic command in /usr/local/bin
+  copy:
+    content: |
+      #!/bin/bash
+      . /opt/borgmatic/bin/activate
+      borgmatic "$@"
+    dest: /usr/local/bin/borgmatic
+    owner: root
+    group: root
+    mode: "0755"
diff --git a/tasks/main.yml b/tasks/main.yml
index fcd63f4..4b67356 100755
--- a/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/tasks/main.yml
@@ -16,50 +16,14 @@
     - "{{ ansible_os_family }}.yml"
     - "{{ ansible_lsb.id }}.yml"
 
-- name: Run OS-specific tasks
-  include_tasks: "{{ item }}"
-  with_first_found:
-    - "{{ ansible_os_family }}-{{ ansible_distribution_major_version }}.yml"
-    - "{{ ansible_os_family }}.yml"
-
-- name: Install required System Packages
+- name: Install general dependencies (cron and openssh)
   package:
-    name: "{{ borg_packages }}"
+    name: "{{ borg_dep_packages }}"
     state: present
 
-- name: Create virtualenv for borg  # noqa package-latest
-  pip:
-    name:
-    - pip
-    - setuptools
-    state: latest
-    virtualenv: /opt/borgmatic
-    virtualenv_command: "{{ python_bin }} -m venv"
-
-- name: Install dependent Python Packages
-  pip:
-    name: "{{ borg_dependent_python_packages }}"
-    virtualenv: /opt/borgmatic
-  when: borg_dependent_python_packages is defined
-
-- name: Install main Python Packages
-  pip:
-    name: "{{ item.name }}"
-    version: "{{ item.version | default(omit, true) }}"
-    virtualenv: /opt/borgmatic
-  when: borg_python_packages is defined
-  loop: "{{ borg_python_packages }}"
-
-- name: Create borgmatic command in /usr/local/bin
-  copy:
-    content: |
-      #!/bin/bash
-      . /opt/borgmatic/bin/activate
-      borgmatic "$@"
-    dest: /usr/local/bin/borgmatic
-    owner: root
-    group: root
-    mode: "0755"
+- name: Install Borg and Borgmatic
+  ansible.builtin.include_tasks:
+    file: install_{{ borg_install_method }}.yml
 
 - name: Ensure root has SSH key.
   user:
diff --git a/vars/Archlinux.yml b/vars/Archlinux.yml
index 8b0027d..0ec7e01 100644
--- a/vars/Archlinux.yml
+++ b/vars/Archlinux.yml
@@ -1,11 +1,17 @@
 ---
-borg_packages:
+borg_dep_packages:
   - cronie
-  - gcc
   - openssh
+
+borg_pip_packages:
+  - gcc
   - pkgconfig
   - python-pip
   - python-setuptools
 
+borg_distro_packages:
+  - borg
+  - borgmatic
+
 python_bin: python3
 pip_bin: pip3
diff --git a/vars/Debian.yml b/vars/Debian.yml
index 5dbed10..03d7d87 100644
--- a/vars/Debian.yml
+++ b/vars/Debian.yml
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 ---
-borg_packages:
+borg_dep_packages:
+  - openssh-client
+  - cron
+
+borg_pip_packages:
   - libssl-dev
   - libacl1-dev
   - libacl1
@@ -10,8 +14,10 @@ borg_packages:
   - python3-pkgconfig
   - python3-msgpack
   - python3-venv
-  - openssh-client
-  - cron
+
+borg_distro_packages:
+  - borgbackup
+  - borgmatic
 
 python_bin: python3
 pip_bin: pip3
diff --git a/vars/Fedora.yml b/vars/Fedora.yml
index 9f12d89..6a2166b 100644
--- a/vars/Fedora.yml
+++ b/vars/Fedora.yml
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 ---
-borg_packages:
+borg_dep_packages:
+  - cronie
+  - openssh-clients
+
+borg_pip_packages:
   - libacl-devel
   - libacl
   - gcc
@@ -10,8 +14,10 @@ borg_packages:
   - python3-devel
   - python3-setuptools
   - python3-Cython
-  - openssh-clients
-  - cronie
+
+borg_distro_packages:
+  - borgbackup
+  - borgmatic
 
 python_bin: python3
 pip_bin: pip3
diff --git a/vars/ManjaroLinux.yml b/vars/ManjaroLinux.yml
index a4dfa5d..52e70f6 100644
--- a/vars/ManjaroLinux.yml
+++ b/vars/ManjaroLinux.yml
@@ -1,8 +1,23 @@
 ---
-borg_packages:
-  - borgmatic
+borg_dep_packages:
   - openssh
   - cronie
 
+borg_pip_packages:  # untested
+  - libssl-dev
+  - libacl1-dev
+  - libacl1
+  - build-essential
+  - python3-setuptools
+  - python3-dev
+  - python3-pip
+  - python3-pkgconfig
+  - python3-msgpack
+  - python3-venv
+
+borg_distro_packages:
+  - borg
+  - borgmatic
+
 python_bin: python3
 pip_bin: pip3
diff --git a/vars/RedHat-8.yml b/vars/RedHat-8.yml
index 7ee2d7e..4673e05 100644
--- a/vars/RedHat-8.yml
+++ b/vars/RedHat-8.yml
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 ---
-borg_packages:
+borg_dep_packages:
+  - openssh-clients
+  - cronie
+
+borg_pip_packages:
   - libacl-devel
   - libacl
   - gcc
@@ -10,8 +14,10 @@ borg_packages:
   - python3-devel
   - python3-setuptools
   - python3-virtualenv
-  - openssh-clients
-  - cronie
+
+borg_distro_packages:
+  - borgbackup
+  - borgmatic
 
 python_bin: python3
 pip_bin: pip3
diff --git a/vars/RedHat-9.yml b/vars/RedHat-9.yml
index bbf20e6..50112d3 100644
--- a/vars/RedHat-9.yml
+++ b/vars/RedHat-9.yml
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 ---
-borg_packages:
+borg_dep_packages:
+  - cronie
+  - openssh-clients
+
+borg_pip_packages:
   - libacl-devel
   - libacl
   - gcc
@@ -10,8 +14,10 @@ borg_packages:
   - python3-devel
   - python3-setuptools
   # - python3-virtualenv
-  - openssh-clients
-  - cronie
+
+borg_distro_packages:
+  - borgbackup
+  - borgmatic
 
 python_bin: python3
 pip_bin: pip3
diff --git a/vars/RedHat.yml b/vars/RedHat.yml
index bd2fd08..7c5f8b6 100644
--- a/vars/RedHat.yml
+++ b/vars/RedHat.yml
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 ---
-borg_packages:
+borg_dep_packages:
+  - cronie
+  - openssh-clients
+
+borg_pip_packages:
   - libacl-devel
   - libacl
   - gcc
@@ -9,8 +13,10 @@ borg_packages:
   - python36-wheel
   - python36-devel
   - python-setuptools
-  - openssh-clients
-  - cronie
+
+borg_distro_packages:
+  - borgbackup
+  - borgmatic
 
 python_bin: python3
 pip_bin: pip3
diff --git a/vars/main.yml b/vars/main.yml
index 9cf3949..9f34550 100644
--- a/vars/main.yml
+++ b/vars/main.yml
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 borg_dependent_python_packages:
   - cython
   - pkgconfig
+
 borg_python_packages:
   - name: borgbackup
     version: "{{ borg_version }}"