diff --git a/manifests/pip.pp b/manifests/pip.pp
index bfc269a7..86c28d4c 100644
--- a/manifests/pip.pp
+++ b/manifests/pip.pp
@@ -162,21 +162,6 @@
     default             => "${url}#egg=${egg_name}",
   }
 
-  # We need to jump through hoops to make sure we issue the correct pip command
-  # depending on wheel support and versions.
-  #
-  # Pip does not support wheels prior to version 1.4.0
-  # Pip wheels require setuptools/distribute > 0.8
-  # Python 2.6 and older does not support setuptools/distribute > 0.8
-  # Pip >= 1.5 tries to use wheels by default, even if wheel package is not
-  # installed, in this case the --no-use-wheel flag needs to be passed
-  # Versions prior to 1.5 don't support the --no-use-wheel flag
-  #
-  # To check for this we test for wheel parameter using help and then using
-  # show, this makes sure we only use wheels if they are supported and
-  # installed
-  $wheel_check = "${pip_env} wheel --help > /dev/null 2>&1 && { ${pip_env} show wheel > /dev/null 2>&1 || wheel_support_flag='--no-binary :all:'; }"
-
   $pip_install = "${pip_env} --log ${log}/pip.log install"
   $pip_common_args = "${pypi_index} ${proxy_flag} ${install_args} ${install_editable} ${source}"
 
@@ -184,7 +169,7 @@
   if $source =~ /^(git\+|hg\+|bzr\+|svn\+)(http|https|ssh|svn|sftp|ftp|lp)(:\/\/).+$/ {
     if $ensure != present and $ensure != latest {
       exec { "pip_install_${name}":
-        command     => "${wheel_check} ; { ${pip_install} ${install_args} \$wheel_support_flag ${pip_common_args}@${ensure}#egg=${egg_name} || ${pip_install} ${install_args} ${pip_common_args}@${ensure}#egg=${egg_name} ;}",
+        command     => "${pip_install} ${install_args} ${pip_common_args}@${ensure}#egg=${egg_name}",
         unless      => "${pip_env} freeze --all | grep -i -e ${grep_regex}",
         user        => $owner,
         group       => $group,
@@ -196,7 +181,7 @@
       }
     } else {
       exec { "pip_install_${name}":
-        command     => "${wheel_check} ; { ${pip_install} ${install_args} \$wheel_support_flag ${pip_common_args} || ${pip_install} ${install_args} ${pip_common_args} ;}",
+        command     => "${pip_install} ${install_args} ${pip_common_args}",
         unless      => "${pip_env} freeze --all | grep -i -e ${grep_regex}",
         user        => $owner,
         group       => $group,
@@ -213,7 +198,7 @@
         # Version formats as per http://guide.python-distribute.org/specification.html#standard-versioning-schemes
         # Explicit version.
         exec { "pip_install_${name}":
-          command     => "${wheel_check} ; { ${pip_install} ${install_args} \$wheel_support_flag ${pip_common_args}==${ensure} || ${pip_install} ${install_args} ${pip_common_args}==${ensure} ;}",
+          command     => "${pip_install} ${install_args} ${pip_common_args}==${ensure}",
           unless      => "${pip_env} freeze --all | grep -i -e ${grep_regex} || ${pip_env} list | sed -e 's/[ ]\\+/==/' -e 's/[()]//g' | grep -i -e ${grep_regex}",
           user        => $owner,
           group       => $group,
@@ -228,7 +213,7 @@
       'present': {
         # Whatever version is available.
         exec { "pip_install_${name}":
-          command     => "${wheel_check} ; { ${pip_install} \$wheel_support_flag ${pip_common_args} || ${pip_install} ${pip_common_args} ;}",
+          command     => "${pip_install} ${pip_common_args}",
           unless      => "${pip_env} freeze --all | grep -i -e ${grep_regex} || ${pip_env} list | sed -e 's/[ ]\\+/==/' -e 's/[()]//g' | grep -i -e ${grep_regex}",
           user        => $owner,
           group       => $group,
@@ -259,7 +244,7 @@
 
         # Latest version.
         exec { "pip_install_${name}":
-          command     => "${wheel_check} ; { ${pip_install} --upgrade \$wheel_support_flag ${pip_common_args} || ${pip_install} --upgrade ${pip_common_args} ;}",
+          command     => "${pip_install} --upgrade ${pip_common_args}",
           unless      => $unless_command,
           user        => $owner,
           group       => $group,
diff --git a/spec/defines/pip_spec.rb b/spec/defines/pip_spec.rb
index 1548b7b6..345de99b 100644
--- a/spec/defines/pip_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/defines/pip_spec.rb
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@
       context 'adds proxy to install command if proxy set' do
         let(:params) { { proxy: 'http://my.proxy:3128' } }
 
-        it { is_expected.to contain_exec('pip_install_rpyc').with_command("pip wheel --help > /dev/null 2>&1 && { pip show wheel > /dev/null 2>&1 || wheel_support_flag='--no-binary :all:'; } ; { pip --log /tmp/pip.log install $wheel_support_flag  --proxy=http://my.proxy:3128   rpyc || pip --log /tmp/pip.log install  --proxy=http://my.proxy:3128   rpyc ;}") }
+        it { is_expected.to contain_exec('pip_install_rpyc').with_command('pip --log /tmp/pip.log install  --proxy=http://my.proxy:3128   rpyc') }
       end
     end
 
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@
       context 'adds index to install command if index set' do
         let(:params) { { index: 'http://www.example.com/simple/' } }
 
-        it { is_expected.to contain_exec('pip_install_rpyc').with_command("pip wheel --help > /dev/null 2>&1 && { pip show wheel > /dev/null 2>&1 || wheel_support_flag='--no-binary :all:'; } ; { pip --log /tmp/pip.log install $wheel_support_flag --index-url=http://www.example.com/simple/    rpyc || pip --log /tmp/pip.log install --index-url=http://www.example.com/simple/    rpyc ;}") }
+        it { is_expected.to contain_exec('pip_install_rpyc').with_command('pip --log /tmp/pip.log install --index-url=http://www.example.com/simple/    rpyc') }
       end
     end
 
@@ -133,12 +133,12 @@
       context 'suceeds with no extras' do
         let(:params) { {} }
 
-        it { is_expected.to contain_exec('pip_install_requests').with_command("pip wheel --help > /dev/null 2>&1 && { pip show wheel > /dev/null 2>&1 || wheel_support_flag='--no-binary :all:'; } ; { pip --log /tmp/pip.log install $wheel_support_flag     requests || pip --log /tmp/pip.log install     requests ;}") }
+        it { is_expected.to contain_exec('pip_install_requests').with_command('pip --log /tmp/pip.log install     requests') }
       end
       context 'succeeds with extras' do
         let(:params) { { extras: ['security'] } }
 
-        it { is_expected.to contain_exec('pip_install_requests').with_command("pip wheel --help > /dev/null 2>&1 && { pip show wheel > /dev/null 2>&1 || wheel_support_flag='--no-binary :all:'; } ; { pip --log /tmp/pip.log install $wheel_support_flag     requests[security] || pip --log /tmp/pip.log install     requests[security] ;}") }
+        it { is_expected.to contain_exec('pip_install_requests').with_command('pip --log /tmp/pip.log install     requests[security]') }
       end
     end
   end