diff --git a/scripts/get_python_packages b/scripts/get_python_packages
index 0716cc1366c..968ba3516f1 100755
--- a/scripts/get_python_packages
+++ b/scripts/get_python_packages
@@ -67,7 +67,15 @@ then
 fi
 
 echo "Fetching bert with ${BERT_COMMIT_ID}"
-GET_COMMAND="wget -nc $FTP_URI/bert/archive/${BERT_COMMIT_ID}.zip -P $DEST_DIR"
+if [ $FTP_URI ];
+then
+    PREFIX="$FTP_URI/bert"
+else
+    PREFIX=https://github.com/google-research/bert
+
+fi
+
+GET_COMMAND="wget -nc $PREFIX/archive/${BERT_COMMIT_ID}.zip -P $DEST_DIR"
 echo "Running: $GET_COMMAND"
 $GET_COMMAND
 exit_status=$?