diff --git a/manifests/pip.pp b/manifests/pip.pp
index eaada706..76b3af48 100644
--- a/manifests/pip.pp
+++ b/manifests/pip.pp
@@ -160,8 +160,8 @@
   # If it wasn't or if there is any error, the package manager will trigger a failure.
   $grep_regex = $_ensure ? {
     /^(present|absent|latest)$/ => "^${real_pkgname}[[:space:]].*$",
-    /^[0-9].*$/                 => "^${real_pkgname}[[:space:]]\\+(\\?${_ensure}\\()$\\|$\\|, \\|[[:space:]]\\)",
-    default                     => fail('ensure can be a version number or one of: present, absent, latest')
+    /^v?[0-9].*$/               => "^${real_pkgname}[[:space:]]\\+(\\?${_ensure}\\()$\\|$\\|, \\|[[:space:]]\\)",
+    default                     => fail('ensure can be a version number (e.g. 1.7.0 or v1.7.0) or one of: present, absent, latest')
   }
 
   $extras_string = empty($extras) ? {
@@ -195,7 +195,7 @@
     }
   } else {
     case $_ensure {
-      /^[0-9].*$/: {
+      /^v?[0-9].*$/: {
         # Specific version
         $command        = "${pip_install} ${install_args} ${pip_common_args}==${_ensure}"
         $unless_command = "${pip_env} list | grep -i -e '${grep_regex}'"
diff --git a/spec/defines/pip_spec.rb b/spec/defines/pip_spec.rb
index d7115427..40add6d6 100644
--- a/spec/defines/pip_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/defines/pip_spec.rb
@@ -147,6 +147,20 @@
       end
     end
 
+    describe 'install specific version' do
+      context 'supports v-prefixed version string' do
+        let(:params) { { ensure: 'v1.7.0' } }
+
+        it { is_expected.to contain_exec('pip_install_rpyc').with_command('pip --log /tmp/pip.log install      rpyc==v1.7.0') }
+      end
+
+      context 'supports version string without v-prefix' do
+        let(:params) { { ensure: '1.7.0' } }
+
+        it { is_expected.to contain_exec('pip_install_rpyc').with_command('pip --log /tmp/pip.log install      rpyc==1.7.0') }
+      end
+    end
+
     describe 'uninstall' do
       context 'adds correct title' do
         let(:params) { { ensure: 'absent' } }