diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 3922344..d344b4a 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -62,6 +62,11 @@ When using this role with PHP running as `php-fpm` instead of as a process insid
 
 If you're using Apache, you can easily get it configured to work with PHP-FPM using the [geerlingguy.apache-php-fpm](https://github.com/geerlingguy/ansible-role-apache-php-fpm) role.
 
+    php_fpm_state: started
+    php_fpm_enabled_on_boot: true
+
+Control over the fpm daemon's state; set these to `stopped` and `false` if you want FPM to be installed and configured, but not running (e.g. when installing in a container).
+
     php_fpm_listen: "127.0.0.1:9000"
     php_fpm_listen_allowed_clients: "127.0.0.1"
     php_fpm_pm_max_children: 50
diff --git a/defaults/main.yml b/defaults/main.yml
index 8b04351..7860038 100644
--- a/defaults/main.yml
+++ b/defaults/main.yml
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@ php_enable_webserver: true
 
 # PHP-FPM configuration.
 php_enable_php_fpm: false
+php_fpm_state: started
+php_fpm_enabled_on_boot: true
 php_fpm_listen: "127.0.0.1:9000"
 php_fpm_listen_allowed_clients: "127.0.0.1"
 php_fpm_pm_max_children: 50
diff --git a/handlers/main.yml b/handlers/main.yml
index 454476d..468de71 100644
--- a/handlers/main.yml
+++ b/handlers/main.yml
@@ -10,4 +10,6 @@
   service:
     name: "{{ php_fpm_daemon }}"
     state: restarted
-  when: php_enable_php_fpm
+  when:
+    - php_enable_php_fpm
+    - php_fpm_state == 'started'
diff --git a/meta/main.yml b/meta/main.yml
index 76a38bb..cd2fcdb 100644
--- a/meta/main.yml
+++ b/meta/main.yml
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ galaxy_info:
   description: PHP for RedHat/CentOS/Fedora/Debian/Ubuntu.
   company: "Midwestern Mac, LLC"
   license: "license (BSD, MIT)"
-  min_ansible_version: 2.4
+  min_ansible_version: 2.8
   platforms:
     - name: EL
       versions:
diff --git a/tasks/configure-fpm.yml b/tasks/configure-fpm.yml
index 66db220..fa0dbc4 100644
--- a/tasks/configure-fpm.yml
+++ b/tasks/configure-fpm.yml
@@ -72,15 +72,6 @@
 - name: Ensure php-fpm is started and enabled at boot (if configured).
   service:
     name: "{{ php_fpm_daemon }}"
-    state: started
-    enabled: true
+    state: "{{ php_fpm_state }}"
+    enabled: "{{ php_fpm_enabled_on_boot }}"
   when: php_enable_php_fpm and ansible_distribution != "Debian"
-
-# See: https://github.com/ansible/ansible/issues/22303
-- name: Ensure php-fpm is started and enabled at boot (if configured, Debian).
-  service:
-    name: "{{ php_fpm_daemon }}"
-    state: started
-    enabled: true
-    use: service
-  when: php_enable_php_fpm and ansible_distribution == "Debian"