diff --git a/automated install/basic-install.sh b/automated install/basic-install.sh
index 93974211..c8312a01 100755
--- a/automated install/basic-install.sh	
+++ b/automated install/basic-install.sh	
@@ -87,8 +87,8 @@ if [ -x "$(command -v apt-get)" ]; then
 	# fixes for dependancy differences 
 	# Debian 7 doesn't have iproute2 use iproute
 	${PKG_MANAGER} install --dry-run iproute2 > /dev/null 2>&1 && IPROUTE_PKG="iproute2" || IPROUTE_PKG="iproute"
-	# Ubuntu 16.04 LTS php / php5 fix
-	${PKG_MANAGER} install --dry-run php5 > /dev/null 2>&1 && phpVer="php5" || phpVer="php"
+	# Prefer the php metapackage if it's there, fall back on the php5 pacakges
+	${PKG_MANAGER} install --dry-run php > /dev/null 2>&1 && phpVer="php" || phpVer="php5"
 	# #########################################
 	INSTALLER_DEPS=( apt-utils whiptail git dhcpcd5)
 	PIHOLE_DEPS=( iputils-ping lsof dnsutils bc dnsmasq lighttpd ${phpVer}-common ${phpVer}-cgi curl unzip wget sudo netcat cron ${IPROUTE_PKG} )