diff --git a/automated install/basic-install.sh b/automated install/basic-install.sh
index af6e9b6f..570e8f6a 100755
--- a/automated install/basic-install.sh	
+++ b/automated install/basic-install.sh	
@@ -141,7 +141,9 @@ EOM
 # The runUnattended flag is one example of this
 repair=false
 runUnattended=false
-PIHOLE_SKIP_FTL_CHECK=false
+if [ -z "$PIHOLE_SKIP_FTL_CHECK" ]; then
+    PIHOLE_SKIP_FTL_CHECK=false
+fi
 # Check arguments for the undocumented flags
 for var in "$@"; do
     case "$var" in