diff --git a/features/src/python/README.md b/features/src/python/README.md
index 3a92b67..4e8b0c3 100755
--- a/features/src/python/README.md
+++ b/features/src/python/README.md
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ Installs Python.
 
 ```json
 "features": {
-    "ghcr.io/postfinance/devcontainer-features/python:1.1.0": {
+    "ghcr.io/postfinance/devcontainer-features/python:1.2.0": {
         "version": "latest",
         "downloadUrl": "",
         "pipIndex": "",
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ Installs Python.
 
 | Option | Description | Type | Default Value | Proposals |
 |-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|
-| version | The version of Python to install. | string | latest | latest, 3.12, 3.9.19 |
+| version | The version of Python to install. | string | latest | latest, system-default, 3.12, 3.9.19 |
 | downloadUrl | The download URL to use. | string | <empty> | https://mycompany.com/artifactory/python-generic-ftp-remote, https://mycompany.com/artifactory/python-generic-remote/ftp/python |
 | pipIndex | The pip index to use (used by search). | string | <empty> | https://mycompany.com/artifactory/api/pypi/python/simple, https://mycompany.com/nexus/repository/pypi-group/pypi |
 | pipIndexUrl | The pip index URL to use (used by install). | string | <empty> | https://mycompany.com/artifactory/api/pypi/python/simple, https://mycompany.com/nexus/repository/pypi-group/simple |
diff --git a/features/src/python/devcontainer-feature.json b/features/src/python/devcontainer-feature.json
index 1908836..6c7950c 100644
--- a/features/src/python/devcontainer-feature.json
+++ b/features/src/python/devcontainer-feature.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
     "id": "python",
-    "version": "1.1.0",
+    "version": "1.2.0",
     "name": "Python",
     "description": "Installs Python.",
     "options": {
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
             "type": "string",
             "proposals": [
                 "latest",
+                "system-default",
                 "3.12",
                 "3.9.19"
             ],
@@ -67,4 +68,4 @@
         "PATH": "/usr/local/python/current/bin:${PATH}",
         "PYTHON_PATH": "/usr/local/python/current"
     }
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
diff --git a/features/src/python/installer.go b/features/src/python/installer.go
index 0280633..8540944 100644
--- a/features/src/python/installer.go
+++ b/features/src/python/installer.go
@@ -83,7 +83,18 @@ func (c *pythonComponent) GetAllVersions() ([]*gover.Version, error) {
 }
 
 func (c *pythonComponent) InstallVersion(version *gover.Version) error {
-	// Download the file
+	if version == gover.EmptyVersion {
+		return installer.Tools.System.InstallPackagesByOs(func(osInfo *installer.OsInfo) ([]string, error) {
+			if osInfo.IsDebian() || osInfo.IsUbuntu() {
+				return []string{"python3", "python3-pip", "python-is-python3"}, nil
+			} else if osInfo.IsAlpine() {
+				return []string{"python3", "py3-pip"}, nil
+			}
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("unsupported OS vendor: %s", osInfo.Vendor)
+		})
+	}
+
+	// Download and compile a specific version of Python
 	name := fmt.Sprintf("Python-%s", version.Raw)
 	fileName := fmt.Sprintf("%s.tgz", name)
 	// The folder only contains the major, minor and sometimes the patch version
diff --git a/features/test/python/install-system-provided.sh b/features/test/python/install-system-provided.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..90aa5cc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/features/test/python/install-system-provided.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+set -e
+
+[[ -f "$(dirname "$0")/../functions.sh" ]] && source "$(dirname "$0")/../functions.sh"
+[[ -f "$(dirname "$0")/functions.sh" ]] && source "$(dirname "$0")/functions.sh"
+
+check_version "$(python --version)" "Python 3."
+check_command_exists python3
+check_command_exists python
+check_command_exists pip
diff --git a/features/test/python/scenarios.json b/features/test/python/scenarios.json
index b958411..aa3add4 100644
--- a/features/test/python/scenarios.json
+++ b/features/test/python/scenarios.json
@@ -18,5 +18,15 @@
                 "version": "3.15.0a1"
             }
         }
+    },
+    "install-system-provided": {
+        "build": {
+            "dockerfile": "Dockerfile"
+        },
+        "features": {
+            "./python": {
+                "version": "system-default"
+            }
+        }
     }
 }