diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 751e040..e5a7088 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -21,6 +21,24 @@ the `~/.pyenv/plugins/python-virtualenv` directory. From that directory, you
 can check out a specific release tag. To update python-virtualenv, run `git
 pull` to download the latest changes.
 
+### Installing as a standalone program (advanced)
+
+Installing python-virtualenv as a standalone program will give you access to
+the `python-virtualenv` command for precise control over Python version
+installation. If you have rbenv installed, you will also be able to
+use the `rbenv install` command.
+
+    $ git clone git://github.com/yyuu/python-virtualenv.git
+    $ cd python-virtualenv
+    $ ./install.sh
+
+This will install python-virtualenv into `/usr/local`. If you do not have
+write permission to `/usr/local`, you will need to run `sudo
+./install.sh` instead. You can install to a different prefix by
+setting the `PREFIX` environment variable.
+
+To update python-virtualenv after it has been installed, run `git pull` in
+your cloned copy of the repository, then re-run the install script.
 
 ## Usage
 
diff --git a/bin/python-virtualenv b/bin/python-virtualenv
index 4aa7d2a..f7c66d4 100755
--- a/bin/python-virtualenv
+++ b/bin/python-virtualenv
@@ -115,7 +115,9 @@ fi
 VIRTUALENV_PYTHON_BIN="${VIRTUALENV_PATH}/bin/python"
 
 # create virtualenv
-"${PYTHON_BIN}" "${PYTHON_VIRTUALENV_ROOT}/libexec/virtualenv.py" "${VIRTUALENV_OPTIONS[@]}" "${VIRTUALENV_PATH}"
+VIRTUALENV="${PYTHON_VIRTUALENV_ROOT}/libexec/python-virtualenv/virtualenv.py"
+[ -f "${VIRTUALENV}" ] || VIRTUALENV="${PYTHON_VIRTUALENV_ROOT}/libexec/virtualenv.py"
+"${PYTHON_BIN}" "${VIRTUALENV}" "${VIRTUALENV_OPTIONS[@]}" "${VIRTUALENV_PATH}"
 
 # create symlink of `python' bound for actual executable
 if [ ! -f "$VIRTUALENV_PYTHON_BIN" ]; then
diff --git a/install.sh b/install.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..2933fcb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/install.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+
+set -e
+
+if [ -z "${PREFIX}" ]; then
+  PREFIX="/usr/local"
+fi
+
+BIN_PATH="${PREFIX}/bin"
+LIBEXEC_PATH="${PREFIX}/libexec/python-virtualenv"
+
+mkdir -p "${BIN_PATH}"
+mkdir -p "${LIBEXEC_PATH}"
+
+for file in bin/*; do
+  cp "${file}" "${BIN_PATH}"
+done
+
+for file in libexec/*; do
+  cp "${file}" "${LIBEXEC_PATH}"
+done
+
+echo "Installed python-virtualenv at ${PREFIX}"