diff --git a/defaults/main.yml b/defaults/main.yml
index d3c970d..451000f 100644
--- a/defaults/main.yml
+++ b/defaults/main.yml
@@ -21,4 +21,5 @@ es_log_dir: "/var/log/elasticsearch"
 es_work_dir: "/tmp/elasticsearch"
 es_plugin_dir: "/usr/share/elasticsearch/plugins"
 es_max_open_files: 65536
+es_allow_downgrades: false
 
diff --git a/tasks/elasticsearch-Debian.yml b/tasks/elasticsearch-Debian.yml
index 4311abb..cc2112c 100644
--- a/tasks/elasticsearch-Debian.yml
+++ b/tasks/elasticsearch-Debian.yml
@@ -1,4 +1,14 @@
 ---
+
+- set_fact: force_install=no
+  tags:
+      - always
+
+- set_fact: force_install=yes
+  when: es_allow_downgrades
+  tags:
+      - always
+
 - name: Debian - Add Elasticsearch repository key
   apt_key: url="http://packages.elasticsearch.org/GPG-KEY-elasticsearch" state=present
   when: es_use_repository
@@ -8,7 +18,7 @@
   when: es_use_repository
 
 - name: Debian - Ensure elasticsearch is installed
-  apt: name=elasticsearch{% if es_version is defined and es_version != "" %}={{ es_version }}{% endif %} state=present cache_valid_time=86400
+  apt: name=elasticsearch{% if es_version is defined and es_version != "" %}={{ es_version }}{% endif %} state=present force={{force_install}} cache_valid_time=86400
   when: es_use_repository
   register: elasticsearch_install_from_repo