diff --git a/attributes/default.rb b/attributes/default.rb
index 85c96eb..2093a18 100644
--- a/attributes/default.rb
+++ b/attributes/default.rb
@@ -37,7 +37,12 @@
 default['python']['version'] = '2.7.5'
 default['python']['checksum'] = '3b477554864e616a041ee4d7cef9849751770bc7c39adaf78a94ea145c488059'
 default['python']['configure_options'] = %W{--prefix=#{python['prefix_dir']}}
-default['python']['make_options'] = %W{install}
+
+if platform_family?('rhel')
+  default['python']['make_options'] = %W{altinstall}
+else
+  default['python']['make_options'] = %W{install}
+end
 
 default['python']['pip_location'] = "#{node['python']['prefix_dir']}/bin/pip"
 default['python']['virtualenv_location'] = "#{node['python']['prefix_dir']}/bin/virtualenv"