diff --git a/defaults/main.yml b/defaults/main.yml
index 43f5b311..dc32c74b 100644
--- a/defaults/main.yml
+++ b/defaults/main.yml
@@ -13,6 +13,10 @@
 # See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 # limitations under the License.
 
+# Set the package install state for distribution packages
+# Options are 'present' and 'latest'
+galera_server_package_state: "latest"
+
 galera_cluster_members: "{{ groups['galera_all'] }}"
 galera_server_bootstrap_node: "{{ galera_cluster_members[0] }}"
 galera_ignore_cluster_state: false
diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/package-state-b7a3d3c242e2c3aa.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/package-state-b7a3d3c242e2c3aa.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..43a6ac58
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/package-state-b7a3d3c242e2c3aa.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+---
+features:
+  - The galera_server role now supports the ability to configure whether
+    apt/yum tasks install the latest available package, or just ensure
+    that the package is present. The default action is to ensure that
+    the latest package is present. The action taken may be changed to
+    only ensure that the package is present by setting
+    ``galera_server_package_state`` to ``present``.
+upgrade:
+  - The galera_server role always checks whether the latest package is
+    installed when executed. If a deployer wishes to change the check to
+    only validate the presence of the package, the option
+    ``galera_server_package_state`` should be set to ``present``.
diff --git a/tasks/galera_install_apt.yml b/tasks/galera_install_apt.yml
index b8b87e78..f2821a19 100644
--- a/tasks/galera_install_apt.yml
+++ b/tasks/galera_install_apt.yml
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@
 - name: Install galera apt pre packages
   apt:
     pkg: "{{ item }}"
-    state: latest
+    state: "{{ galera_server_package_state }}"
   register: install_packages
   until: install_packages|success
   retries: 5
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@
 - name: Install galera packages
   apt:
     pkg: "{{ item }}"
-    state: latest
+    state: "{{ galera_server_package_state }}"
   register: install_packages
   until: install_packages|success
   retries: 5
diff --git a/tasks/galera_install_yum.yml b/tasks/galera_install_yum.yml
index de07b6e1..fd4ad6ac 100644
--- a/tasks/galera_install_yum.yml
+++ b/tasks/galera_install_yum.yml
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@
 - name: Install galera yum pre packages
   yum:
     pkg: "{{ item }}"
-    state: latest
+    state: "{{ galera_server_package_state }}"
   register: install_packages
   until: install_packages|success
   retries: 5
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@
 - name: Install percona yum packages
   yum:
     pkg: "{{ item }}"
-    state: latest
+    state: "{{ galera_server_package_state }}"
   register: install_packages
   until: install_packages|success
   retries: 5
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@
 - name: Install galera yum packages
   yum:
     pkg: "{{ item }}"
-    state: latest
+    state: "{{ galera_server_package_state }}"
   register: install_packages
   until: install_packages|success
   retries: 5
@@ -159,4 +159,4 @@
     creates: /etc/mysql/rhel_configured
   tags:
     - galera-rhel-config
-    - skip_ansible_lint
\ No newline at end of file
+    - skip_ansible_lint