diff --git a/providers/virtualenv.rb b/providers/virtualenv.rb
index 22f2b7b..991040c 100644
--- a/providers/virtualenv.rb
+++ b/providers/virtualenv.rb
@@ -25,7 +25,8 @@
 action :create do
   unless exists?
     Chef::Log.info("Creating virtualenv #{@new_resource} at #{@new_resource.path}")
-    execute "#{virtualenv_cmd} --python=#{@new_resource.interpreter} #{@new_resource.path}" do
+    system_site_packages = new_resource.system_site_packages ? '--system-site-packages' : ''
+    execute "virtualenv --python=#{@new_resource.interpreter} #{system_site_packages} #{@new_resource.path}" do
       user new_resource.owner if new_resource.owner
       group new_resource.group if new_resource.group
     end
@@ -53,14 +54,6 @@ def load_current_resource
   @current_resource
 end
 
-def virtualenv_cmd()
-  if "#{node['python']['install_method']}".eql?("source")
-    ::File.join("#{node['python']['prefix_dir']}","/bin/virtualenv")
-  else
-    "virtualenv"
-  end
-end
-
 private
 def exists?
   ::File.exist?(@current_resource.path) && ::File.directory?(@current_resource.path) \
diff --git a/resources/virtualenv.rb b/resources/virtualenv.rb
index c5840a2..436bfac 100644
--- a/resources/virtualenv.rb
+++ b/resources/virtualenv.rb
@@ -24,3 +24,4 @@
 attribute :interpreter, :default => 'python2.6'
 attribute :owner, :regex => Chef::Config[:user_valid_regex]
 attribute :group, :regex => Chef::Config[:group_valid_regex]
+attribute :system_site_packages, :default => false