diff --git a/lib/pluginmanager/gemfile.rb b/lib/pluginmanager/gemfile.rb
index b1648187764..68bf88334f1 100644
--- a/lib/pluginmanager/gemfile.rb
+++ b/lib/pluginmanager/gemfile.rb
@@ -41,13 +41,20 @@ def add(name, *requirements)
       @gemset.add_gem(Gem.parse(name, *requirements))
     end
 
-    # update existing or add new
+    # update existing or add new and merge passed options with current gem options if it exists
     # @param name [String] gem name
     # @param *requirements params following name use the same notation as the Gemfile gem DSL statement
     def update(name, *requirements)
       @gemset.update_gem(Gem.parse(name, *requirements))
     end
 
+    # overwrite existing or add new
+    # @param name [String] gem name
+    # @param *requirements params following name use the same notation as the Gemfile gem DSL statement
+    def overwrite(name, *requirements)
+      @gemset.overwrite_gem(Gem.parse(name, *requirements))
+    end
+
     # @return [Gem] removed gem or nil if not found
     def remove(name)
       @gemset.remove_gem(name)
@@ -99,6 +106,19 @@ def add_gem(_gem)
 
     # update existing or add new
     def update_gem(_gem)
+      if old = find_gem(_gem.name)
+        # always overwrite requirements if specified
+        old.requirements = _gem.requirements unless no_constrains?(_gem.requirements)
+        # but merge options
+        old.options = old.options.merge(_gem.options)
+      else
+        @gems << _gem
+        @gems_by_name[_gem.name.downcase] = _gem
+      end
+    end
+
+    # update existing or add new
+    def overwrite_gem(_gem)
       if old = find_gem(_gem.name)
         @gems[@gems.index(old)] = _gem
       else
@@ -119,8 +139,19 @@ def remove_gem(name)
     def copy
       Marshal.load(Marshal.dump(self))
     end
+
     private
 
+    def no_constrains?(requirements)
+      return true if requirements.nil? || requirements.empty?
+
+      # check for the dummy ">= 0" version constrain or any variations thereof
+      # which is in fact a "no constrain" constrain which we should discard
+      return true if requirements.size == 1 && requirements.first.to_s.gsub(/\s+/, "") == ">=0"
+
+      false
+    end
+
     def sources_to_s
       return "" if @sources.empty?
       @sources.map{|source| "source #{source.inspect}"}.join("\n")
diff --git a/lib/pluginmanager/install.rb b/lib/pluginmanager/install.rb
index dae85e3dfc5..0e6383d725b 100644
--- a/lib/pluginmanager/install.rb
+++ b/lib/pluginmanager/install.rb
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ class LogStash::PluginManager::Install < LogStash::PluginManager::Command
   parameter "[PLUGIN] ...", "plugin name(s) or file", :attribute_name => :plugins_arg
   option "--version", "VERSION", "version of the plugin to install"
   option "--[no-]verify", :flag, "verify plugin validity before installation", :default => true
+  option "--preserve", :flag, "preserve current gem options", :default => false
   option "--development", :flag, "install all development dependencies of currently installed plugins", :default => false
   option "--local", :flag, "force local-only plugin installation. see bin/logstash-plugin package|unpack", :default => false
 
@@ -90,7 +91,15 @@ def install_gems_list!(install_list)
 
     # Add plugins/gems to the current gemfile
     puts("Installing" + (install_list.empty? ? "..." : " " + install_list.collect(&:first).join(", ")))
-    install_list.each { |plugin, version, options| gemfile.update(plugin, version, options) }
+    install_list.each do |plugin, version, options|
+      if preserve?
+        plugin_gem = gemfile.find(plugin)
+        puts("Preserving Gemfile gem options for plugin #{plugin}") if plugin_gem && !plugin_gem.options.empty?
+        gemfile.update(plugin, version, options)
+      else
+        gemfile.overwrite(plugin, version, options)
+      end
+    end
 
     # Sync gemfiles changes to disk to make them available to the `bundler install`'s API
     gemfile.save
diff --git a/rakelib/plugin.rake b/rakelib/plugin.rake
index dc91d19bcc8..0bc1b708906 100644
--- a/rakelib/plugin.rake
+++ b/rakelib/plugin.rake
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ namespace "plugin" do
 
   task "install-development-dependencies" do
     puts("[plugin:install-development-dependencies] Installing development dependencies of all installed plugins")
-    install_plugins("--development")
+    install_plugins("--development",  "--preserve")
 
     task.reenable # Allow this task to be run again
   end
@@ -18,35 +18,35 @@ namespace "plugin" do
   task "install", :name do |task, args|
     name = args[:name]
     puts("[plugin:install] Installing plugin: #{name}")
-    install_plugins("--no-verify", name)
+    install_plugins("--no-verify", "--preserve", name)
 
     task.reenable # Allow this task to be run again
   end # task "install"
 
   task "install-default" do
     puts("[plugin:install-default] Installing default plugins")
-    install_plugins("--no-verify", *LogStash::RakeLib::DEFAULT_PLUGINS)
+    install_plugins("--no-verify", "--preserve", *LogStash::RakeLib::DEFAULT_PLUGINS)
 
     task.reenable # Allow this task to be run again
   end
 
   task "install-core" do
     puts("[plugin:install-core] Installing core plugins")
-    install_plugins("--no-verify", *LogStash::RakeLib::CORE_SPECS_PLUGINS)
+    install_plugins("--no-verify", "--preserve", *LogStash::RakeLib::CORE_SPECS_PLUGINS)
 
     task.reenable # Allow this task to be run again
   end
 
   task "install-jar-dependencies" do
     puts("[plugin:install-jar-dependencies] Installing jar_dependencies plugins for testing")
-    install_plugins("--no-verify", *LogStash::RakeLib::TEST_JAR_DEPENDENCIES_PLUGINS)
+    install_plugins("--no-verify", "--preserve", *LogStash::RakeLib::TEST_JAR_DEPENDENCIES_PLUGINS)
 
     task.reenable # Allow this task to be run again
   end
 
   task "install-vendor" do
     puts("[plugin:install-jar-dependencies] Installing vendor plugins for testing")
-    install_plugins("--no-verify", *LogStash::RakeLib::TEST_VENDOR_PLUGINS)
+    install_plugins("--no-verify", "--preserve", *LogStash::RakeLib::TEST_VENDOR_PLUGINS)
 
     task.reenable # Allow this task to be run again
   end
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ namespace "plugin" do
     # TODO Push this downstream to #install_plugins
     p.each do |plugin|
       begin
-        install_plugins("--no-verify", plugin)
+        install_plugins("--no-verify", "--preserve", plugin)
       rescue
         puts "Unable to install #{plugin}. Skipping"
         next