diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 15c1638..bbcdfd3 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@ set :composer_working_dir, -> { fetch(:release_path) }
 set :composer_dump_autoload_flags, '--optimize'
 set :composer_download_url, "https://getcomposer.org/installer"
 set :composer_version, '1.0.0-alpha8' #(default: not set)
+set :composer_php_version, :php72 #(default: :php) Or use full path /usr/bin/php72
 ```
 
 ### Installing composer as part of a deployment
diff --git a/lib/capistrano/tasks/composer.rake b/lib/capistrano/tasks/composer.rake
index dd925a4..d18068f 100644
--- a/lib/capistrano/tasks/composer.rake
+++ b/lib/capistrano/tasks/composer.rake
@@ -11,14 +11,15 @@ namespace :composer do
   task :install_executable do
     on release_roles(fetch(:composer_roles)) do
       within shared_path do
+        composer_php_version = fetch(:composer_php_version, :php)
         composer_version = fetch(:composer_version, nil)
         composer_version_option = composer_version ? "-- --version=#{composer_version}" : ""
         if test "[", "!", "-e", "composer.phar", "]"
-          execute :curl, "-s", fetch(:composer_download_url), "|", :php, composer_version_option
+          execute :curl, "-s", fetch(:composer_download_url), "|", composer_php_version, composer_version_option
         elsif composer_version
           current_version = capture(:php, "composer.phar", "-V", strip: false)
           unless current_version.include? "Composer version #{composer_version} "
-            execute :curl, "-s", fetch(:composer_download_url), "|", :php, composer_version_option
+            execute :curl, "-s", fetch(:composer_download_url), "|", composer_php_version, composer_version_option
           end
         end
       end