diff --git a/neon_utils/packaging_utils.py b/neon_utils/packaging_utils.py
index 884d830f..618c905a 100644
--- a/neon_utils/packaging_utils.py
+++ b/neon_utils/packaging_utils.py
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@
 
 import sys
 import re
+import subprocess
 import importlib.util
 from typing import Tuple, Optional, List
 from tempfile import mkstemp
@@ -267,19 +268,26 @@ def get_skill_license():  # TODO: Implement OSM version of this
     skill_data["requirements"]["python"].sort()
     return dict(dict_merge(skill_data, readme_data))
 
-def install_packages_from_pip(core_module: str, packages: List[str]) -> int:
+def install_packages_from_pip(core_module: str, packages: List[str],
+                              force_reinstall: bool = False) -> int:
     """
     Install a Python package using pip
     :param core_module: string neon core module to install dependency for
     :param packages: List(string) list of packages to install
+    :param force_reinstall: force re-installation of packages
     :returns: int pip exit code
     """
-    import pip
+    def _pip_install(command_args: List[str]) -> int:
+        try:
+            result = subprocess.check_call([sys.executable, '-m', 'pip'] + command_args)
+            return result
+        except subprocess.CalledProcessError as e:
+            LOG.error(f"Error installing {command_args}: {e}")
+            return e.returncode
+
     _, tmp_constraints_file = mkstemp()
     _, tmp_requirements_file = mkstemp()
 
-    install_str = " ".join(packages)
-
     with open(tmp_constraints_file, 'w', encoding="utf8") as f:
         constraints = '\n'.join(get_package_dependencies(core_module))
         f.write(constraints)
@@ -289,10 +297,14 @@ def install_packages_from_pip(core_module: str, packages: List[str]) -> int:
         for pkg in packages:
             f.write(f"{pkg}\n")
 
-    LOG.info(f"Requested installation of plugins: {install_str}")
+    LOG.info(f"Requested installation of plugins: {packages}")
     pip_args = ['install', '-r', tmp_requirements_file, '-c', tmp_constraints_file]
-    result = pip.main(pip_args) if hasattr(pip, 'main') else pip._internal.main(pip_args)
-    
-    if result != 0:
-        return result
-    return 0
+    if stat := _pip_install(pip_args) != 0:
+        return stat
+
+    if force_reinstall:
+        LOG.info(f"Requested forced re-installation of plugins: {packages}")
+        pip_args.extend(['--no-deps', '--force-reinstall'])
+        stat = _pip_install(pip_args)
+
+    return stat
diff --git a/tests/packaging_util_tests.py b/tests/packaging_util_tests.py
index ffbdbf08..6c87bbd7 100644
--- a/tests/packaging_util_tests.py
+++ b/tests/packaging_util_tests.py
@@ -148,26 +148,25 @@ def test_build_skill_spec(self):
     # TODO: Actually validate exception cases? DM
         
     def test_install_packages_from_pip(self):
-        import pip
+        import subprocess
         from neon_utils.packaging_utils import install_packages_from_pip
 
-        with patch.object(pip, 'main', return_value=0) as mock_method:
+        with patch.object(subprocess, 'check_call', return_value=0) as mock_method:
             test_result = install_packages_from_pip("neon-utils", ["pip-install-test"])
         
             args, kwargs = mock_method.call_args
             self.assertEqual(0, test_result)
-            mock_method.assert_called_once_with(['install', '-r', args[0][2], '-c', args[0][4]])
+            mock_method.assert_called_once_with([sys.executable, '-m', 'pip', 'install', '-r', args[0][5], '-c', args[0][7]])
 
-            with open(args[0][2], "r", encoding="utf8") as f:
+            with open(args[0][5], "r", encoding="utf8") as f:
                 line = f.readline()
                 self.assertEqual("pip-install-test\n", line)
 
             mock_method.reset_mock()
-            test_result = install_packages_from_pip("neon-utils", ["pip-install-test", "pip-install-another"])
+            test_result = install_packages_from_pip("neon-utils", ["pip-install-test", "pip-install-another"], force_reinstall=True)
 
             self.assertEqual(0, test_result)
-            mock_method.assert_called_once()
-
+            self.assertEqual(mock_method.call_count, 2)
 
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':