diff --git a/.gp/bash/init-gitpod.sh b/.gp/bash/init-gitpod.sh
index 47a3a951..9edb2833 100644
--- a/.gp/bash/init-gitpod.sh
+++ b/.gp/bash/init-gitpod.sh
@@ -21,6 +21,9 @@ start_spinner "Initializing MySql..." &&
 gp await-port 3306 &&
 stop_spinner $?
 
+# Globals
+current_php_version="$(.gp/bash/utils.sh php_version)"
+
 # BEGIN: parse .vscode/settings.json
 if [[ $(bash .gp/bash/utils.sh parse_ini_value starter.ini development vscode_disable_preview_tab) == 1 ]]; then
   msg="parsing .vscode/settings.json as per starter.ini"
@@ -205,22 +208,26 @@ if [ ! -d "$GITPOD_REPO_ROOT/vendor" ]; then
   
   # Install https://www.ioncube.com/loaders.php
   installed_ioncube_gen=$(bash .gp/bash/utils.sh parse_ini_value starter.ini ioncube install)
-  if [ "$installed_ioncube_gen" == 1 ]; then
-    msg="Installing ioncube loader"
-    log_silent "$msg" && start_spinner "$msg" \
-    && wget http://downloads3.ioncube.com/loader_downloads/ioncube_loaders_lin_x86-64.tar.gz -O /tmp/ioncube.tar.gz \
-    && tar xzf /tmp/ioncube.tar.gz -C /tmp \
-    && sudo cp /tmp/ioncube/ioncube_loader_lin_7.4.so /usr/lib/php/20190902/ioncube_loader_lin_7.4.so \
-    && sudo bash -c 'echo "zend_extension=ioncube_loader_lin_7.4.so" > /etc/php/7.4/apache2/conf.d/10-ioncube.ini' \
-    && sudo bash -c 'echo "zend_extension=ioncube_loader_lin_7.4.so" > /etc/php/7.4/cli/conf.d/10-ioncube.ini' \
-    && rm -rf /tmp/ioncube.tar.gz /tmp/ioncube
-    err_code=$?
-    if [[ $err_code != 0 ]]; then
-      stop_spinner $err_code
-      log -e "ERROR: $msg"
+  if [[ $installed_ioncube_gen == 1 ]]; then
+    if [[ $(bash .gp/bash/utils.sh comp_ver_lt "$current_php_version" 7.4) == 0 ]]; then
+      msg="Installing ioncube loader"
+      log_silent "$msg" && start_spinner "$msg" \
+      && wget http://downloads3.ioncube.com/loader_downloads/ioncube_loaders_lin_x86-64.tar.gz -O /tmp/ioncube.tar.gz \
+      && tar xzf /tmp/ioncube.tar.gz -C /tmp \
+      && sudo cp /tmp/ioncube/ioncube_loader_lin_7.4.so /usr/lib/php/20190902/ioncube_loader_lin_7.4.so \
+      && sudo bash -c 'echo "zend_extension=ioncube_loader_lin_7.4.so" > /etc/php/7.4/apache2/conf.d/10-ioncube.ini' \
+      && sudo bash -c 'echo "zend_extension=ioncube_loader_lin_7.4.so" > /etc/php/7.4/cli/conf.d/10-ioncube.ini' \
+      && rm -rf /tmp/ioncube.tar.gz /tmp/ioncube
+      err_code=$?
+      if [[ $err_code != 0 ]]; then
+        stop_spinner $err_code
+        log -e "ERROR: $msg"
+      else
+        stop_spinner $err_code
+        log "SUCCESS: $msg"
+      fi
     else
-      stop_spinner $err_code
-      log "SUCCESS: $msg"
+      log -e "WARNING: ioncube loader does not support PHP 8+. Installation skipped. Fix your starter.ini"
     fi
   fi
 
diff --git a/.gp/bash/php.sh b/.gp/bash/php.sh
index 16efee22..e3cd055e 100644
--- a/.gp/bash/php.sh
+++ b/.gp/bash/php.sh
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ keep_existing_php() {
     echo "END: php.sh" | tee -a $log  && 
     exit 1
 
-  msg1="  Using the existing 'latest' version of PHP ($latest_php) as specified in $gp_php_url" &&
+  msg1="  Using the existing 'gitpodlatest' version of PHP ($latest_php) as specified in $gp_php_url" &&
   echo "$msg1" &&
   generate_php_fpm_conf &&
   echo "END: php.sh" | tee -a $log  && 
@@ -139,13 +139,13 @@ echo "BEGIN: php.sh" | tee -a $log
 php_version=$(. /tmp/utils.sh parse_ini_value /tmp/starter.ini PHP version)
 ec=$?
 if [[ $ec -ne 0 ]]; then
-  2>&1 echo "  WARNING: could not parse /tmp/starter.ini. Defaulting PHP version to 'latest' as specified in $gp_php_url" | tee -a $log
-  php_version='latest'
+  2>&1 echo "  WARNING: could not parse /tmp/starter.ini. Defaulting PHP version to 'gitpodlatest' as specified in $gp_php_url" | tee -a $log
+  php_version='gitpodlatest'
 fi
 
 if [[ $php_version == '7.4' ]]; then
   IFS=" " read -r -a all_packages <<< "$php7_4"
-elif [[ $php_version == 'latest' ]]; then
+elif [[ $php_version == 'gitpodlatest' ]]; then
   keep_existing_php
 else
   keep_existing_php 'fallback'
diff --git a/starter.ini b/starter.ini
index 2bcc6026..6940e032 100644
--- a/starter.ini
+++ b/starter.ini
@@ -32,10 +32,10 @@ vscode_disable_preview_tab=1
 type=laravel-js-2space
 
 [PHP]
-# version, valid values are 7.4 and latest.
-# The value 'latest' will install the version of php set in
+# version, valid values are 7.4 and gitpodlatest.
+# The value 'gitpodlatest' will install the version of php set in
 #     https://github.com/gitpod-io/workspace-images/blob/master/full/Dockerfile
-# Invalid values will default to 'latest'
+# Invalid values will default to 'gitpodlatest'
 version=7.4
 # ppa, valid values are OS and ondrej
 # The value 'OS' will use the standard (default) operating system PPA