diff --git a/linuxdeploy-plugin-conda.sh b/linuxdeploy-plugin-conda.sh
index f798100..462b154 100755
--- a/linuxdeploy-plugin-conda.sh
+++ b/linuxdeploy-plugin-conda.sh
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ show_usage() {
     echo "  PIP_REQUIREMENTS=\"packageA packageB -r requirements.txt -e git+https://...\""
     echo "  PIP_PREFIX=\"AppDir/usr/share/conda\""
     echo "  ARCH=\"$ARCH\" (supported values: x86_64, i368, i686)"
+    echo "  CONDA_SKIP_INSTALL=\"0\""
     echo "  CONDA_SKIP_CLEANUP=\"[all;][conda-pkgs;][__pycache__;][strip;][.a;][cmake;][doc;][man;][site-packages;]\""
 }
 
@@ -69,123 +70,126 @@ if [ "$APPDIR" == "" ]; then
     exit 1
 fi
 
-mkdir -p "$APPDIR"
+# installation of conda
+if [ "$CONDA_SKIP_INSTALL" == "" ]; then
+    mkdir -p "$APPDIR"
 
-if [ "$CONDA_PACKAGES" == "" ]; then
-    log "WARNING: \$CONDA_PACKAGES not set, no packages will be installed!"
-fi
+    if [ "$CONDA_PACKAGES" == "" ]; then
+        log "WARNING: \$CONDA_PACKAGES not set, no packages will be installed!"
+    fi
+
+    # the user can specify a directory into which the conda installer is downloaded
+    # if they don't specify one, we use a temporary directory with a predictable name to preserve downloaded files across runs
+    # this should reduce the download overhead
+    # if one is specified, the installer will not be re-downloaded unless it has changed
+    if [ "$CONDA_DOWNLOAD_DIR" != "" ]; then
+        # resolve path relative to cwd
+        if [[ "$CONDA_DOWNLOAD_DIR" != /* ]]; then
+            CONDA_DOWNLOAD_DIR="$(readlink -f "$CONDA_DOWNLOAD_DIR")"
+        fi
+
+        log "Using user-specified download directory: $CONDA_DOWNLOAD_DIR"
+    else
+        # create temporary directory into which downloaded files are put
+        CONDA_DOWNLOAD_DIR="/tmp/linuxdeploy-plugin-conda-$(id -u)"
 
-# the user can specify a directory into which the conda installer is downloaded
-# if they don't specify one, we use a temporary directory with a predictable name to preserve downloaded files across runs
-# this should reduce the download overhead
-# if one is specified, the installer will not be re-downloaded unless it has changed
-if [ "$CONDA_DOWNLOAD_DIR" != "" ]; then
-    # resolve path relative to cwd
-    if [[ "$CONDA_DOWNLOAD_DIR" != /* ]]; then
-        CONDA_DOWNLOAD_DIR="$(readlink -f "$CONDA_DOWNLOAD_DIR")"
+        log "Using default temporary download directory: $CONDA_DOWNLOAD_DIR"
     fi
 
-    log "Using user-specified download directory: $CONDA_DOWNLOAD_DIR"
-else
-    # create temporary directory into which downloaded files are put
-    CONDA_DOWNLOAD_DIR="/tmp/linuxdeploy-plugin-conda-$(id -u)"
+    # make sure the directory exists
+    mkdir -p "$CONDA_DOWNLOAD_DIR"
 
-    log "Using default temporary download directory: $CONDA_DOWNLOAD_DIR"
-fi
+    if [ -d "$APPDIR"/usr/conda ]; then
+        log "WARNING: conda prefix directory exists: $APPDIR/usr/conda"
+        log "Please make sure you perform a clean build before releases to make sure your process works properly."
+    fi
 
-# make sure the directory exists
-mkdir -p "$CONDA_DOWNLOAD_DIR"
+    # install Miniconda, a self contained Python distribution, into AppDir
+    case "$ARCH" in
+        "x86_64")
+            miniconda_installer_filename=Miniconda3-latest-Linux-x86_64.sh
+            ;;
+        "i386"|"i686")
+            miniconda_installer_filename=Miniconda3-latest-Linux-x86.sh
+            ;;
+        *)
+            log "ERROR: Unknown Miniconda arch: $ARCH"
+            exit 1
+            ;;
+    esac
 
-if [ -d "$APPDIR"/usr/conda ]; then
-    log "WARNING: conda prefix directory exists: $APPDIR/usr/conda"
-    log "Please make sure you perform a clean build before releases to make sure your process works properly."
-fi
+    pushd "$CONDA_DOWNLOAD_DIR"
+        miniconda_url=https://repo.anaconda.com/miniconda/"$miniconda_installer_filename"
+        # let's make sure the file exists before we then rudimentarily ensure mutual exclusive access to it with flock
+        # we set the timestamp to epoch 0; this should likely trigger a redownload for the first time
+        touch "$miniconda_installer_filename" -d '@0'
 
-# install Miniconda, a self contained Python distribution, into AppDir
-case "$ARCH" in
-    "x86_64")
-        miniconda_installer_filename=Miniconda3-latest-Linux-x86_64.sh
-        ;;
-    "i386"|"i686")
-        miniconda_installer_filename=Miniconda3-latest-Linux-x86.sh
-        ;;
-    *)
-        log "ERROR: Unknown Miniconda arch: $ARCH"
-        exit 1
-        ;;
-esac
-
-pushd "$CONDA_DOWNLOAD_DIR"
-    miniconda_url=https://repo.anaconda.com/miniconda/"$miniconda_installer_filename"
-    # let's make sure the file exists before we then rudimentarily ensure mutual exclusive access to it with flock
-    # we set the timestamp to epoch 0; this should likely trigger a redownload for the first time
-    touch "$miniconda_installer_filename" -d '@0'
-
-    # now, let's download the file
-    flock "$miniconda_installer_filename" wget -N -c "$miniconda_url"
-popd
-
-# install into usr/conda/ instead of usr/ to make sure that the libraries shipped with conda don't overwrite or
-# interfere with libraries bundled by other plugins or linuxdeploy itself
-bash "$CONDA_DOWNLOAD_DIR"/"$miniconda_installer_filename" -b -p "$APPDIR"/usr/conda -f
-
-# activate environment
-. "$APPDIR"/usr/conda/bin/activate
-
-# we don't want to touch the system, therefore using a temporary home
-mkdir -p _temp_home
-export HOME=$(readlink -f _temp_home)
-
-# conda-forge is used by many conda packages, therefore we'll add that channel by default
-conda config --add channels conda-forge
-
-# force-install libxi, required by a majority of packages on some more annoying distributions like e.g., Arch
-#conda install -y xorg-libxi
-
-# force another python version if requested
-if [ "$CONDA_PYTHON_VERSION" != "" ]; then
-    conda install -y python="$CONDA_PYTHON_VERSION"
-fi
+        # now, let's download the file
+        flock "$miniconda_installer_filename" wget -N -c "$miniconda_url"
+    popd
 
-# add channels specified via $CONDA_CHANNELS
-IFS=';' read -ra chans <<< "$CONDA_CHANNELS"
-for chan in "${chans[@]}"; do
-    conda config --append channels "$chan"
-done
+    # install into usr/conda/ instead of usr/ to make sure that the libraries shipped with conda don't overwrite or
+    # interfere with libraries bundled by other plugins or linuxdeploy itself
+    bash "$CONDA_DOWNLOAD_DIR"/"$miniconda_installer_filename" -b -p "$APPDIR"/usr/conda -f
 
-# install packages specified via $CONDA_PACKAGES
-IFS=';' read -ra pkgs <<< "$CONDA_PACKAGES"
-for pkg in "${pkgs[@]}"; do
-    conda install -y "$pkg"
-done
+    # activate environment
+    . "$APPDIR"/usr/conda/bin/activate
 
-# make sure pip is up to date
-pip install -U pip
+    # we don't want to touch the system, therefore using a temporary home
+    mkdir -p _temp_home
+    export HOME=$(readlink -f _temp_home)
 
-# install requirements from PyPI specified via $PIP_REQUIREMENTS
-if [ "$PIP_REQUIREMENTS" != "" ]; then
-    if [ "$PIP_WORKDIR" != "" ]; then
-        pushd "$PIP_WORKDIR"
-    fi
+    # conda-forge is used by many conda packages, therefore we'll add that channel by default
+    conda config --add channels conda-forge
 
-    pip install -U $PIP_REQUIREMENTS ${PIP_PREFIX:+--prefix=$PIP_PREFIX} ${PIP_VERBOSE:+-v}
+    # force-install libxi, required by a majority of packages on some more annoying distributions like e.g., Arch
+    #conda install -y xorg-libxi
 
-    if [ "$PIP_WORKDIR" != "" ]; then
-        popd
+    # force another python version if requested
+    if [ "$CONDA_PYTHON_VERSION" != "" ]; then
+        conda install -y python="$CONDA_PYTHON_VERSION"
     fi
-fi
 
-# create symlinks for all binaries in usr/conda/bin/ in usr/bin/
-mkdir -p "$APPDIR"/usr/bin/
-pushd "$APPDIR"
-for i in usr/conda/bin/*; do
-    if [ -f usr/bin/"$(basename "$i")" ]; then
-        log "WARNING: symlink exists, will not be touched: usr/bin/$i"
-    else
-        ln -s ../../"$i" usr/bin/
+    # add channels specified via $CONDA_CHANNELS
+    IFS=';' read -ra chans <<< "$CONDA_CHANNELS"
+    for chan in "${chans[@]}"; do
+        conda config --append channels "$chan"
+    done
+
+    # install packages specified via $CONDA_PACKAGES
+    IFS=';' read -ra pkgs <<< "$CONDA_PACKAGES"
+    for pkg in "${pkgs[@]}"; do
+        conda install -y "$pkg"
+    done
+
+    # make sure pip is up to date
+    pip install -U pip
+
+    # install requirements from PyPI specified via $PIP_REQUIREMENTS
+    if [ "$PIP_REQUIREMENTS" != "" ]; then
+        if [ "$PIP_WORKDIR" != "" ]; then
+            pushd "$PIP_WORKDIR"
+        fi
+
+        pip install -U $PIP_REQUIREMENTS ${PIP_PREFIX:+--prefix=$PIP_PREFIX} ${PIP_VERBOSE:+-v}
+
+        if [ "$PIP_WORKDIR" != "" ]; then
+            popd
+        fi
     fi
-done
-popd
+
+    # create symlinks for all binaries in usr/conda/bin/ in usr/bin/
+    mkdir -p "$APPDIR"/usr/bin/
+    pushd "$APPDIR"
+    for i in usr/conda/bin/*; do
+        if [ -f usr/bin/"$(basename "$i")" ]; then
+            log "WARNING: symlink exists, will not be touched: usr/bin/$i"
+        else
+            ln -s ../../"$i" usr/bin/
+        fi
+    done
+    popd
+fi
 
 
 # remove bloat, optionally skipped via $CONDA_SKIP_CLEANUP