diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/python/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/python/package.py
index f8625b3505..5c95bf9045 100644
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/python/package.py
+++ b/var/spack/repos/builtin/packages/python/package.py
@@ -492,7 +492,7 @@ def configure_args(self):
 
         if spec.satisfies('@2.7.9:2,3.4:'):
             if '+ensurepip' in spec:
-                config_args.append('--with-ensurepip')
+                config_args.append('--with-ensurepip=install')
             else:
                 config_args.append('--without-ensurepip')